Pharmacists are pushing back against the Competition Council's favorable opinion on opening pharmacy ownership to outside investors. Following an initial sit-in, they say they will continue their mobilization to ensure the supervising ministry does not pave the way for what they describe as the «commercialization» of medicines. DR ‹ › During a meeting with industry representatives last March, Minister of Health and Social Protection Amine Tahraoui stated that opening pharmacy ownership to non-pharmacists was not on the current agenda. However, since December 2025, the Competition Council (CC) has taken a different stance. In response, pharmacists have mobilized, staging a sit-in on April 9 outside the institution. In its recommendations, the CC argued that existing ownership rules are holding back the sector's development, calling for a regulated opening. Following these proposals, the Confederation of Moroccan Pharmacists' Unions (CSPM) formally rejected the plan in a letter sent to the Council, just days after the protest. Professionals vow to continue mobilization In the letter, CSPM president Dr. Mohamed Lahbabi stressed that «the development of pharmaceutical services does not require a change in the nature of pharmacy ownership, but rather strengthening the pharmacist's role through new health missions within the existing model». He also highlighted «the social role of the pharmacy», noting that «the Moroccan model has led to a dense network of pharmacies across the country, fulfilling a mission that goes beyond commercial logic by contributing to public healthcare». Dr. Mehdi Berray, vice secretary-general of the CSPM, told Yabiladi that «contrary to what is suggested in the opinion, pharmacies are often more present in rural and remote areas than hospital structures themselves». While acknowledging that the CC's report includes «some valid observations», he rejected the idea that opening ownership would address the sector's challenges. «Experiences in other countries show that such reforms have not solved the issue of pharmaceutical deserts. Instead, they have allowed large commercial players to dominate, driven by supply and demand rather than equitable access to medication,» he said, warning of risks to fair access to care. Fears of a shift toward commercialization Karim Azmani Matar, president of the national office of the National Association of Pharmacy Technical Assistants (ANAPT), shares these concerns. He warned that the CC's position could «transform the pharmaceutical sector, currently a socially oriented institution, into a purely commercial activity». He stressed the need to distinguish between the distribution of medicines, governed by Law 17.04, and their commercial sale, which falls under a different regulatory framework. «Turning pharmacies into retail outlets selling medical products to consumers, rather than providing medication to patients, would effectively treat medicines as ordinary consumer goods,» he said. According to him, such a shift could lead to prescriptions being influenced more by profit considerations than by medical need. «This is precisely why doctors and pharmacists, though trained in the same faculties, have distinct roles, to prevent the commercial exploitation of medical diagnoses,» he added. From this perspective, the CC's recommendations would represent «a step backward», exposing patients to risks that the current system seeks to avoid by clearly separating medical practice from commercial interests. He further warned that profit margins could begin to dictate which medicines are prioritized, undermining patient care. «If this model is driven by investment logic, profitability could overshadow the social mission of pharmacies,» he said. Addressing comparisons with foreign models, Azmani Matar urged caution. «In Europe or North America, pharmacy ownership operates within integrated healthcare systems, with strong public services, universal coverage, and effective oversight mechanisms,» he explained. «We cannot simply isolate one component of those systems, the commercial aspect, and attempt to replicate it in Morocco without the broader institutional framework,» he concluded.
