Are Pharmacists a cartel ?

R

redstar

Registered User
Messages
664
Pharmacies are private, self-employed organisations so why do they have a union ?

When so-called competitors join together into a 'union' to demand certain prices for goods and services (ie medicines), isn't that how cartels operate ?
 
redstar said:
Pharmacies are private, self-employed organisations so why do they have a union ?

When so-called competitors join together into a 'union' to demand certain prices for goods and services (ie medicines), isn't that how cartels operate ?
Click to expand...

Well don't other employers join unions? IBEC, ISME, SFA, CIF, etc? There's a difference in getting together to present a view/common voice and price-fixing.

AFAIK, whether a technicality or not, the prices are agreed with individual contracts. The HSE doesn't negotiate with the pharmacists collectively.
 
The HSE doesn't negotiate with the pharmacists collectively.
Click to expand...

Isnt this one of the big issues. The pharmacists WANT to negotiate collectively, but the HSE won't because it's been warned that if it did, it would be breaking competition law?

The other thing that is a feature of pharmacy and certain other professions in Ireland is restricted entry (through limiting the number of pharmacy graduates) and self regulation - both unhealthy.
 
Price of drugs is controlled by the manufacturers and wholesalers. Its the percentage markup that the dispute is about - HSE pays a set % markup on the wholesale price to the pharmacists. HSE has been trying to reduce this % as it is very high.
 
csirl said:
Isnt this one of the big issues. The pharmacists WANT to negotiate collectively, but the HSE won't because it's been warned that if it did, it would be breaking competition law?...
Click to expand...
But the HSE negotiates collectively with the Hospital Consultants' Association, the Irish Medical Organisation, the Irish Nurses Organisation, the Psychiatric Nurses Association, the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists, etc, etc and noone, least of all the Competition Authority bats an eyelid.

BTW on the production side, the HSE negotiates with the IPHA which is a de facto cartel but I hear no complaints, maybe because they might shut their plants here and head off for the Far East? - http://www.ipha.ie/
csirl said:
... The other thing that is a feature of pharmacy and certain other professions in Ireland is restricted entry (through limiting the number of pharmacy graduates) and self regulation - both unhealthy.
Click to expand...
I'll skip this because I may stray OT. :rolleyes:
 
mathepac said:
But the HSE negotiates collectively with the Hospital Consultants' Association, the Irish Medical Organisation, the Irish Nurses Organisation, the Psychiatric Nurses Organisation, the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists, etc, etc and noone, least of all the Competition Authority bats an eyelid.
Click to expand...
Employee cartels are OK (registered employment agreements, collective bargaining by unions etc). Employer cartels are not.
 
I think anyone an open a pharmacy as long as there is always a pharmacist to dispense?

Hence boots etc.

There sure are a lot of them opening up around the place.
 
Problem is that they only qualify a limited number of pharmacists from university each year, so no competition for jobs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top