Exhausted masks, pharmacists against Arcuri: blow and response

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“In almost all pharmacies where surgical masks have been delivered at a reduced price, for example in Rome, have already finished. They have not yet been delivered to other large cities such as Milan and Turin and there is still a standstill due to the lack of masks “. Marco Cossolo, president of Federfarma, sounding the alarm in the house full of Masks at 50 cents.

The commissioner Domenico Arcuri he replied in a note alleging that “It is not my fault but from distributors and pharmacists. Pharmacies do not have masks because two distribution companies have declared false not having in the warehouses the 12 million masks that they claimed to have. ”

“The maximum price, he explains, was set in the exclusive interest of citizens. Also because those who today affirm that they do not have masks and need the Commissioner’s supplies, until a few weeks ago they had them and made them pay much more to citizens” .

“It is not true, Arcuri continues, that pharmacists had forgotten or forgiven because distributors were still guaranteed a refund for the masks purchased before the price was set at 0.50 cents (plus VAT). The only obvious truth is since they cannot get the masks, now they try fulfill your responsibilities about the commissioner. Or worse, by increasing the price. “

“It is not me who has to supply the pharmacists. The commissioner provides regions, health, essential public services and, since May 4, also local public transport and RSA, public and private. All free, “explained the coronavirus emergency commissioner.

“I have the possibility to extend the term of the agreement, provided that the pharmacists find the masks and sell them at 0.50 cents plus VAT, which guarantees a soft drink,” said Arcuri, adding that “more and more large distribution stores sell the masks at 0.50 cents, plus VAT. “

The response of the president of Federfarma Cossolo she did not wait: “Commissioner, tell me where to find them and we are happy to buy them. At the moment they are not available on the market. And there was a lot of effort even before the reduced price. In any case, I confirm what has already been said and point out that pharmacies never complained about the low price, nor did we say that we started selling them again because they renewed us. “

In addition to masks, pharmacists also report a shortage of gloves and of alcohol to disinfect “They are not found anywhere in Italian pharmacies,” said Roberto Tobia, Federfarma’s national secretary.

“The price of latex or nitrile gloves has tripled or quadrupled in the past few months after the Covid-19 emergency.” This, he continues, “stems from the very high purchase cost paid by the pharmacy to suppliers, due to the fact that raw materials have increased, demand has multiplied by a thousand, and inventories have ended.”

NEWS FROM VIRGILIO | 05-11-2020 22:02