A revised government price list led to reduced profits for pharmacies, pushing pharmacists to demonstrate on Dec. 4. The situation sparked tension between TEB and the SGK, which has since decided to deal with pharmacies directly instead of through the union. The contract will expire on Jan. 16, 2010, after which the SGK will sign individual contracts with 24,000 pharmacies. TEB announced that it would stage another demonstration if the SGK decides to enter into individual contracts with pharmacists, bypassing TEB. Following the SGK decision, TEB issued a written statement to announce that it had been informed about the cancellation of its contract with the SGK. It noted that it would establish a strategy to address the SGK’s decision in a meeting scheduled for Dec. 22. Furthermore, TEB officials are reportedly preparing to meet with Health Minister Recep Akdağ to discuss the situation.
The disagreement between TEB and the SGK erupted when the government announced a price cut for 2,500 medicines. TEB claimed the new price list would cause a loss of TL 800 million to pharmacists, an allegation disputed by Labor and Social Security Minister Ömer Dinçer, who said, the figure cited was exaggerated and that any loss will be absorbed by pharmaceutical companies. Despite the minister’s statements, pharmacists joined the TEB protest and closed their pharmacies on Dec. 4.
The idea of signing separate agreements with pharmacists was raised last year, when another disagreement occurred between TEB and the SGK. Meanwhile TEB President Erdoğan Çolak expressed a desire to end the conflict between his institution and the SGK, saying he is of the opinion that separate contracts between pharmacists and the SGK will lead to TEB’s demise.
