Mary Pat Higley: Italian Pharmacy Strike Indicates Governmental Cuts Target Wrong Expenditures

PHILADELPHIA, PA, October 05, 2012

Reuters reports that Italian pharmacists have held a strike in protest of cuts to government spending. According to the article, the strike resulted in the closure of 93 percent of the country's pharmacies. Mary Pat Higley, a clinical pharmacist who has established herself as a leader within the industry, believes that this strike showcases the same challenges that pharmacists within the United States are facing.

According to the article, Prime Minister Mario Monti announced that he would cut government expenditures by 26 billion euros. The slash in spending was designed to take place over the course of three years and "put strict limits on how much health authorities, which reimburse the cost of many drugs, are allowed to spend on pharmaceuticals."

While the Italian healthcare system is, according to the article, "notoriously wasteful," this reduction in reimbursement will, per Annarosa Racca, president of Federfarma, impact the health and employment of individuals across the country.

"This high level of participation in a strike shows clearly that pharmacists cannot put up with further unsustainable cuts which reduce services to citizens and make them pay for the waste of others," states Racca. Furthermore, Federfarma asserts that the government's intended spending cuts could jeopardize an estimated 20,000 jobs. Additionally, the company argues that the average pharmacy will spend approximately 40,000 euros per year to make up for the lost reimbursement coverage.

Mary Pat Higley believes that this is an important issue for pharmacists and officials in the United States to pay attention to, as it mirrors some of the challenges that American pharmacists are facing.

"This article shows the struggles that pharmacists are fighting in the United States that are symptomatic of problems that pharmacists are dealing with throughout the world," asserts Mary Pat Higley. "Cuts to reimbursement to balance government budgets are a major issue. This short-sighted approach puts the world's population at risk, as it will eventually limit the number of available clinicians. While expanding the number of pharmacists assures better access to care, cuts in reimbursement save money in the short run but impair the health of the population in the long run, which subsequently leads to higher healthcare costs."

Mary Pat Higley hopes that the Italian government, and the governments of other countries around the world, can work to find a more beneficial solution to budget issues.

ABOUT:

Mary Pat Higley is a clinical pharmacist who has built a successful career by combining her scientific knowledge with her business expertise. Having over three decades of experience, Mary Pat Higley has developed a professional acumen that includes clinical pharmacy, project marketing, sales and marketing, and clinical research. Mary Pat Higley is dedicated to improving patient care and assisting with the improvement of national health. To achieve this goal, she has become a member of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals and the American Society of Hospital Pharmacy.

Website: http://marypathigley.com