The Pharmacist Association in Cairo warns the Egyptians about pharmaceutical chains; assuring them that such chains have chosen Cairo as their main point of departure to the rest of Egypt's governorates. Al Masry El Youm managed to obtain a copy of a letter that was sent to the Egyptian Minister of Public Heath, Dr. Hatim Al Gabali, outlining that the Pharmacist Association confirmed that the owners of some pharmaceutical chains were breaking the law. This breach of the law has had extreme affects on Egyptian citizens as well as the National Industry of Drugs Manufacturing. The Association said that "unfortunately, an owner of one of these pharmaceutical chains has recently become the Head Manager of Ministry of Public Health Pharmaceutical Body and he is your Excellency's Private Assistant for health affairs." They added that this man announced the inauguration of one of his pharmacies to one of the national newspapers, breaking law number 47 of 1969 concerning the institution of the Public Pharmacists Association. The Egyptian law states that, "no syndicate member is allowed to promote his own profession using any of the traditional ways of propagation and publicity." The Association called to attention the fact that any syndicate member who publicly announces information regarding their business, was breaching the pharmacy ethics code issued in accordance with Health Minister Decree number 159 year 1970. It went on to confirm that the fourth article of this code states that "a pharmacist is forbidden from publicizing his own profession using any of the traditional ways of propagation and publicity." Further more the Association stated that syndicate members are forbidden to use any forms of illegal action to attract customers. In addition to that, the Association said, "The Pharmacist Association refers this subject to you in defense of Egyptian patients with low incomes, Egyptian honorable pharmacists and our national production of drugs." The Association also referred to the bad affects resulting from such chains of pharmacies. These bad affects include dealing with smuggled, unidentified, unregistered and unsupervised drugs, underlining that such chains actively work on causing damage to the National Industry as well as the national production of drugs. This is in addition to blackmailing Egyptian patients through promoting and publicizing the smuggled products. The Association stressed that the smuggled products are similar to the already produced, legal, national products that are of a higher quality. The existence of Egyptian-made drugs such as Flagyle, Eltroxin, Tenormin and Diamicron in tablets form strongly confirms this fact. Further more the Association said that the smuggled drugs are sold for doubled the price by the gangs dealing them. Such chains had obtained an increase in the profit margin of their pharmacies through the selling of these drugs whereby they attracted citizens to buy them through the media. This then enabled the pharmacies to subsidize huge discounts on the legal drugs within their stores as the profits are obtained through the smuggled drugs. The Association also drew to attention the fact that such chains are exceedingly expanding within Egypt through the borrowing of other pharmaceutical brand names. This way, they will be able to inaugurate new pharmacies, breaking article 30 in Egyptian Pharmacists Law. Therefore, these chains are subjected to the punishment stipulated by article 78 of the same law. The Association drew more attention to the fact that, these chains had rented licensed pharmacies under administration contracts and then changed the pharmacy's sign so that they carry the brand names of these chains.
