European Commission studying national pharmacy laws

The European pharmacy system is under the microscope in the European Union. National courts and the European Commission have called on the European Court of Justice to issue rulings on national pharmacy laws in several cases. In the coming months, EU judges will review the DocMorris case (Marketletters passim); other cases from Spain and Italy are also on the docket. In addition, infringement proceedings are underway against Austria, France and Portugal, as well as Spain and Germany. Governments throughout Europe are taking steps to defend themselves against the European Commission's course of action. Among the issues at stake in the battle over pharmacies in Brussels and Luxemburg is the question of whether responsibility for public health is to be determined at the national or European level.

To address the situation, the new ApothekeAdhoc dossier "Showdown in Luxemburg" has been released and is based on research performed all over Europe. It provides details on the individual proceedings: interviews, critical analyses of the statements and reports submitted by the various parties and portraits of the key players. Priced at 49 euros, the dossier can be ordered on-line at: http://www.apotheke-adhoc.de/dossier_order.php.