Minister accuses pharmacists of doing politics.

The Algerian health minister, Said Berkat, yesterday announced that his department has accepted to reconsider the pharmacists’ benefit margin calculated at 17%, only if it includes generics as part of the government’s strategy to boost the use of these medicines in a bid to reduce the importation’s bill amounted to USD 800 millions in 2008.

• He also slashed at the professionals of the sector accusing them of behaving rather like politicians in stead of practicing their craft, in the sense that they chose a symbolic date (24 February)  to start their strike