# Farmacias in Alicante, Valencia & Castellón to strike indefinitely



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Los boticarios de la Comunitat harn huelga indefinida a partir del lunes. Las Provincias

googletranslated version

Traductor de Google



> Pharmacists of Valencia Assembly agreed last night to strike indefinitely beginning Monday, if before the Department of Health will not pay the bill owed February, March, April and May.


it seems that the one-day strikes earlier in the year have made no difference - they will be striking indefinitely if the bills from Feb to May aren't paid before Monday


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> Los boticarios de la Comunitat harn huelga indefinida a partir del lunes. Las Provincias
> 
> googletranslated version
> 
> ...


That could put a lot of peoples health at risk


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

*Farmacias to strike indefinitely*



xabiachica said:


> Los boticarios de la Comunitat harn huelga indefinida a partir del lunes. Las Provincias
> 
> googletranslated version
> 
> ...




Surely the title should be more general than just Alicante? The article mentions other regions too.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> Surely the title should be more general than just Alicante? The article mentions other regions too.


OK Mr. citnadep, I've changed it


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Stravinsky said:


> That could put a lot of peoples health at risk


let's hope it doesn't come to that

during the one-day strikes there was always one 'emergency' farmacia open, so I'd hope it would be the same on a longer strike


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Oh My Goodness!!

Drastic measures for drastic times.

I totally agree with the action, they haven't been paid for 4 months. Then again, I'm not in need of any medication... I suppose if you can't get what you need from a chemist's the hospitals would have to administer it.

I see they are also voting on whether to charge the client full price of the medication rather than claiming it back from the state.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Oh My Goodness!!
> 
> Drastic measures for drastic times.
> 
> ...


 Sadly, this doesnt bode well for those "would be expats" who dont need to work as they have pensions - alot will also require medicines ???!!!!

Jo xxx


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## country boy (Mar 10, 2010)

I do not think that this has been well thought out by the Farmacias. Surely the argument is that they are not getting reimbursed for the "scripts" which they have been filling FOC to the entitled punters. 
IMHO it would be far more honorable for them to simply refuse to fill scripts FOC and charge anyone who simply has to have such medication and let them ( the patients) take it up with the authorities. This way, people would be still be able to get their "stuff", including those who usually pay anyway, and there would be even more pressure on Government because the people in the street would be very very cross indeed! No lives would be inconvenienced or put at risk; is this too simplistic?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> Sadly, this doesnt bode well for those "would be expats" who dont need to work as they have pensions - alot will also require medicines ???!!!!
> 
> Jo xxx


it doesn't, does it?

I'm popping down the farmacia on Friday to stock up a bit - I could go to the doc & get a prescription I guess, but tbh the stuff I take costs just 3 euros full price for a month supply so I'm happy enough to pay full price for it


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

country boy said:


> I do not think that this has been well thought out by the Farmacias. Surely the argument is that they are not getting reimbursed for the "scripts" which they have been filling FOC to the entitled punters.
> IMHO it would be far more honorable for them to simply refuse to fill scripts and charge anyone who simply has to have such medication and let them ( the patients) take it up with the authorities. This way, people would be still be able to get their "stuff", including those who usually pay anyway, and there would be even more pressure on Government because the people in the street would be very very cross indeed! No lives would be inconvenienced or put at risk; is this too simplistic?


I don't know whether it's too simplistic, but if I was a chemist I wouldn't fancy telling my hundreds of customers that they've got to pay full price for their medication. Can you imagine the abuse they'd get, not forgetting the sob stories and the true tragedies. Why would anyone put themselves in that position for a situation that is not their fault don't forget - the pharmacists are the baddies in this film. Nor are the customers.

Apart from that it's illegal to sell something at the full price if the government has decreed that it's subsidised - by the state - who doesn't pay...


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

country boy said:


> I do not think that this has been well thought out by the Farmacias. Surely the argument is that they are not getting reimbursed for the "scripts" which they have been filling FOC to the entitled punters.
> IMHO it would be far more honorable for them to simply refuse to fill scripts FOC and charge anyone who simply has to have such medication and let them ( the patients) take it up with the authorities. This way, people would be still be able to get their "stuff", including those who usually pay anyway, and there would be even more pressure on Government because the people in the street would be very very cross indeed! No lives would be inconvenienced or put at risk; is this too simplistic?[/QUOTE
> 
> It's a desperate situation but I think it's probably better that the farmacias take action rather than passing the buck, as it were, to their customers. There must be many people who simply can't afford to pay for their medicine right now. Choice food on the table - or medicine? Back to the dark ages. How many deaths would it take....
> ...


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

country boy said:


> I do not think that this has been well thought out by the Farmacias. Surely the argument is that they are not getting reimbursed for the "scripts" which they have been filling FOC to the entitled punters.
> IMHO it would be far more honorable for them to simply refuse to fill scripts FOC and charge anyone who simply has to have such medication and let them ( the patients) take it up with the authorities. This way, people would be still be able to get their "stuff", including those who usually pay anyway, and there would be even more pressure on Government because the people in the street would be very very cross indeed! No lives would be inconvenienced or put at risk; is this too simplistic?






It's a desperate situation, but I think it's probably better that the farmacias take action rather than passing the buck, as it were, to their customers. There must be many people who simply can't afford to pay for their medicine right now. Food on the table - or medicine? Back to the dark ages. How many deaths would it take....

The people on the street will still be angry, and the combined force of their angerr together with the farmacists can only increase the pressure on the "powers that be" to sort things out and get their priorities straight.

I don't tend to express political views but - austerity measures are one thing, quite another when people *literally* can't afford to live. I quite understand how many in Greece feel - and that feeling, and reactions such as riots, can only increase unless matters are handled correctly.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I don't know whether it's too simplistic, but if I was a chemist I wouldn't fancy telling my hundreds of customers that they've got to pay full price for their medication. Can you imagine the abuse they'd get, not forgetting the sob stories and the true tragedies. Why would anyone put themselves in that position for a situation that is not their fault don't forget - the pharmacists are NOT the baddies in this film. Nor are the customers.
> 
> Apart from that it's illegal to sell something at the full price if the government has decreed that it's subsidised - by the state - who doesn't pay...


Sorry.
Have just noticed this mistake. If a mod would like to correct my original post...


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## Tilley (Jun 10, 2012)

Does this mean that the chemists are open and dispensing so will sell medicine to those that can afford it, or is it a strike in the sense that they are completely closed and nobody can get any medicine at all ? Apologies for asking I have read the thread but I can't really get my head round it to be honest, it's not something I have come across before. Presumably they are open for non-prescription medicine or have i got that wrong ?


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## Solwriter (Jan 10, 2012)

From that article, it seems like they will be running a 'minimal service' only during the strike, but what that means exactly, I don't know.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Tilley said:


> Does this mean that the chemists are open and dispensing so will sell medicine to those that can afford it, or is it a strike in the sense that they are completely closed and nobody can get any medicine at all ? Apologies for asking I have read the thread but I can't really get my head round it to be honest, it's not something I have come across before. Presumably they are open for non-prescription medicine or have i got that wrong ?


going by what happened during the one-day strikes they will be closed, but there will be one emergency farmacia open in each town/area

there is always one 'farmacia de guardia' open for emergency medicines - the doors are locked but a pharmacist will open the door if you ring the bell

there is a list published - you can find out from this website which is your nearest Farmaciasdeguardia.com - Farmacias de Guardia en Espaa, and each farmacia will have a list of the rota on the door


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## Tilley (Jun 10, 2012)

Thanks guys, We're coming over soon for a good mooch & when we visit I normally buy 3 months hrt while there as for some bizzare reason you can just buy although it is obviously dearer than here on a script though.

From what you are all saying, I imagine this wont be affected thinking about it as if they are striking due to non-reimbursement of scripts by the government then over the counter stuff is not an issue. It's just easy as Brit Docs are obsessed with endlessly appointments to take your BP & endlesly checking you don't smoke or drink like suddenly you are going to morph into an alcoholic chain smoker in your 50ties when you haven't been either in the previous 30 years. Thanks again.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Tilley said:


> Thanks guys, We're coming over soon for a good mooch & when we visit I normally buy 3 months hrt while there as for some bizzare reason you can just buy although it is obviously dearer than here on a script though.
> 
> From what you are all saying, I imagine this wont be affected thinking about it as if they are striking due to non-reimbursement of scripts by the government then over the counter stuff is not an issue. It's just easy as Brit Docs are obsessed with endlessly appointments to take your BP & endlesly checking you don't smoke or drink like suddenly you are going to morph into an alcoholic chain smoker in your 50ties when you haven't been either in the previous 30 years. Thanks again.


it will affect you - & everyone else - (if it goes ahead) inasmuch as the farmacias will be closed

the emergency one will often sell you whatever you want - but if they are really being strict they won't - they are open to fill emergency needs only, afaik they will still fill prescriptions


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

country boy said:


> I do not think that this has been well thought out by the Farmacias. Surely the argument is that they are not getting reimbursed for the "scripts" which they have been filling FOC to the entitled punters.


The argument is that they have already bought their stock of meds but have not been reimbursed by the government. Some of them are risking bankruptcy and if they have to close we'll all be worse off.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> it will affect you - & everyone else - (if it goes ahead) inasmuch as the farmacias will be closed
> 
> the emergency one will often sell you whatever you want - but if they are really being strict they won't - they are open to fill emergency needs only, afaik they will still fill prescriptions


That's exactly what I envisage happening...


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> That's exactly what I envisage happening...


yep, me too............ 

I shall report back if I need to use a farmacia after tomorrow............ I didn't get there today!


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## Tilley (Jun 10, 2012)

xabiachica said:


> it will affect you - & everyone else - (if it goes ahead) inasmuch as the farmacias will be closed
> 
> the emergency one will often sell you whatever you want - but if they are really being strict they won't - they are open to fill emergency needs only, afaik they will still fill prescriptions


I'm not sure what happened about this as I must have gone in at least 6 maybe 8 dispensing chemists over the last couple of weeks, as a few didn't have what I needed, although many would have been happy to order stuff in, but I just went to the next one. Not one was on strike. Did the government pay them for back prescriptions ? Hopefully so.

There were often people in front of me handing over huge white forms often three or four (were these the equivalent of NHS prescriptions?) and they were all coming out with their meds. Maybe it all came to nothing or was resolved I cant beleive I just got lucky with the ones I picked, plus I saw others open that I didn't go in.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Tilley said:


> I'm not sure what happened about this as I must have gone in at least 6 maybe 8 dispensing chemists over the last couple of weeks, as a few didn't have what I needed, although many would have been happy to order stuff in, but I just went to the next one. Not one was on strike. Did the government pay them for back prescriptions ? Hopefully so.
> 
> There were often people in front of me handing over huge white forms often three or four (were these the equivalent of NHS prescriptions?) and they were all coming out with their meds. Maybe it all came to nothing or was resolved I cant beleive I just got lucky with the ones I picked, plus I saw others open that I didn't go in.



where were you??

apparently, they didn't start last week as they intended to - as far as I'm aware they were given a last minute promise of payment - which didn't materialise 

however - in my town many ARE now on strike - some won't, but will eventually if they continue to not be paid

sadly, I think some might not reopen ................ever


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## Tilley (Jun 10, 2012)

Moved about a bit, some of the time we were in Murcia, some in Cartagena, some of the time on the coast.

I'm all disappointed now as I thought maybe it had all been resolved and that was one less thing for Spain/Spanish people to worry about. 

One thing did strike me athough i've never thought about it in the UK so dont know how it scales up/down per head of population, there was a huge amount of Farmacias it seemed like in some places you wouldn't go more than a dozen shop fronts and then there would be another one. I did wonder how they all kept going anyway regardless of the dispensing side of the business.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Tilley said:


> Moved about a bit, some of the time we were in Murcia, some in Cartagena, some of the time on the coast.
> 
> I'm all disappointed now as I thought maybe it had all been resolved and that was one less thing for Spain/Spanish people to worry about.
> 
> One thing did strike me athough i've never thought about it in the UK so dont know how it scales up/down per head of population, there was a huge amount of Farmacias it seemed like in some places you wouldn't go more than a dozen shop fronts and then there would be another one. I did wonder how they all kept going anyway regardless of the dispensing side of the business.


yes, there do _seem _to be a lot of farmacias, but when you remember that you _have to_ use them to buy things like aspirin & paracetamol & so many other things that you can buy in supermarkets & even petrol stations & newsagents in the UK you begin to understand how they stay in business


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Tilley said:


> I'm not sure what happened about this as I must have gone in at least 6 maybe 8 dispensing chemists over the last couple of weeks, as a few didn't have what I needed, although many would have been happy to order stuff in, but I just went to the next one. Not one was on strike. Did the government pay them for back prescriptions ? Hopefully so.
> 
> There were often people in front of me handing over huge white forms often three or four (were these the equivalent of NHS prescriptions?) and they were all coming out with their meds. Maybe it all came to nothing or was resolved I cant beleive I just got lucky with the ones I picked, plus I saw others open that I didn't go in.





At the risk of incurring your wrath







isn't that because the strike is going on in a different area to the one you were visiting???


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## Tilley (Jun 10, 2012)

I have no wrath lol. Maybe we were in Alicante for a while as well though, but I didn't seek out farmacia there, oh dear so it's not been resolved.


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