Summary:
The pressure for the deregulation of closed professions in Greece, in view of the memorandum, has brought out the discussion for the pharmaceutical profession. In this context reforms were made in the national regulatory framework of the profession of pharmacists in the last two years, which induced a relaxation of the restrictions concerned. The central hypothesis being analyzed concerns the necessity to regulate the pharmacy profession in order to ensure public health. The study is structured in two parts. In the theoretical part there is a case-law, legal and theoretical overview of the arguments regarding the regulation of the pharmaceutical profession. The empirical part examines population and geographic factors affecting the distribution of pharmacies in Greece. In particular, to investigate the magnitude of the unequal distribution of pharmacies, univariate, inequality indices are being used: 1) Gini (G), 2) Theil (T) and mean logarithmic deviation Theil (N), 3) and the Atkinson index for e = 0.5 (ATK 0.5), and e = 2 (ATK 2). In addition, bivariate concentration index (C) is being applied in order to highlight the concentration trends of pharmacies, and the factors affecting them. These indicators were used to measure inequality in relation to variables that represent both supply and demand of the sector. According to the theoretical analysis, the pharmaceutical profession has a twofold character. On the one hand, drug is a social good, and the pharmacist ensures the safe and quality provision of the population with quality pharmacy services. On the other hand, the pharmaceutical profession is also a business activity, therefore drug holds also private good characteristics. According to the empirical analysis, Greece presents a very large number of pharmacies in relation to the other european countries. Over the time there is a very low unequal distribution of the variables that measure the demand, and in particular vertical equity of access. At the same time, however, pharmacies tend to be concentrated in areas a) with large populations, b) high population density, c) lowland, d) urban, e) with high income, and f) those with high demand.
The overall conclusion is that the sector of pharmacies should continue to be regulated, since its regulation is towards ensuring public health. The population and geographic constraints are appropriate and necessary measures to ensure equal access for all citizens to quality pharmaceutical services.
However, the regulatory framework must take into account the specificities of the islands and mountainous areas.
Keywords:
Pharmacies, deregulation, public health, population and geographical constraints, inequality indices.
