Paraguay pharmacies resist mandatory health services proposal

A proposal in Paraguay's Chamber of Deputies aims to mandate that pharmacies provide basic health services, such as blood pressure monitoring, weight checks, and glucose testing, as part of their social responsibility. The bill, introduced by Deputy Édgar Olmedo, seeks to establish these services as free and mandatory for all pharmacies.

However, the Paraguayan Chamber of Pharmacies (Cafapar), representing approximately 200 pharmacies nationwide, has raised strong objections. Esperanza Garcete, president of Cafapar, and legal advisor Osmar Báez presented their concerns to the Deputies' Technology Commission. They argue that the bill, while well-intentioned, places an undue financial burden on private businesses for services that should be guaranteed by the state.

Cafapar's primary concern is the significant overhead cost associated with implementing the proposed services. The bill stipulates that these services must be provided by "trained personnel" using "adequate equipment" under strict hygiene and biosecurity standards. This would necessitate hiring staff with at least nursing qualifications, a cost that many independent pharmacies cannot absorb. Furthermore, Báez pointed out a critical shortage of trained health personnel in Paraguay, a problem that already affects public health institutions like the Social Security Institute (IPS).

Báez explained that current pharmaceutical regulations require a licensed chemist-pharmacist to oversee each establishment. Adding another layer of mandatory health personnel would make the project "difficult to implement." Cafapar has expressed willingness to engage in discussions for an alternative wording of the bill that could achieve similar public health goals without imposing unmanageable costs and operational challenges on the private pharmacy sector.