Drugs prices will go down

According to the Minister of the Presidency, Rafael Mezquita the program will offer an alternative to low income people who will be able to acquire their medication at lower prices and will also have a positive effect in the national market, because it will increase the competition between pharmacies, which will be forced to lower prices, thus benefiting consumers.

Mezquita said that the creation of these outlets is not an improvised measure, or a way to do politics in an election year, but a way to help the population at a time when the cost of living is very high.

Some observers feel that the Compita Pharmacies is a way for the government to distract the population from the problems that President Martin Torrijos has been unable to solve, such as high levels of criminal activity in the country, and increasing inflation.

The high cost of medicines affect a large percentage of the population who cannot get them from the Social Security Pharmacies and have to go to private facilities where the cost of prescription drugs can be exorbitant.

Compita Pharmacies will sell generic prescription drugs, which are high quality and cost less than brand names. Mezquita believes that the Compita program should be continued by the next administration.