translated from Spanish: Community pharmacies are consolidated and duplicated purchases of medications for 2019

Communal pharmacies will double its purchases of medications for 2019, according to the schedules of acquisition made with the National Center of supply (Cenabast).
According to published by La Tercera, 95 of the 148 premises around the country scheduled purchases by 7.528 billion pesos, up 123 percent more it acquired this year, where 3676 million pesos were spent.
Jaime Espina, Chief of the Operations Department of the Cenabast, said this “has to do with the amount of products purchased, rather than with the number of pharmacies, already the number has remained at 95 between 2018 and 2019”.
According to figures supplied by the Agency, the premises requested 642 types of products, being the most requested levothyroxine to treat thyroid; Pregabalin, for epilepsy; celecoxib for relieving pain from rheumatoid arthritis, and losartan to treat blood pressure.
“This is evidence that community pharmacy system is consolidated and is positive. If I say that the average price is 10 times cheaper, it means that if I’m trading three billion, are 30 billion that patients not spent and that is saved. The same with the seven thousand 2019 “, added Thorn.

Original source in Spanish