From Tuesday 7 to Monday 13 February 2023, in over 5200 participating pharmacies, it will be possible to donate one or more over-the-counter medicines for the most needy. Indeed, it returns Drug Collection Day di Banco Farmaceutico: an initiative possible thanks to the support of over 18,000 pharmacists, who not only host GRF but also support it with donations, and more than 22,000 volunteers. To find out which pharmacies are participating, you can check the poster on display or visit the list on the website www.bancofarmaceutico.org.
Drug Collection Day: the most requested drugs
In 2022, 479,470 packages were collected, equal to a value of 3,819,463 euros. Once again this year the medicines collected will be delivered to 1,800 charitable institutions which take care of at least 400,000 people in conditions of health poverty, offering free treatment and medicines. The requirement reported to Banco Farmaceutico by these entities exceeds one million packs of medicines. The drugs most in demand are analgesics and antipyretics, oral anti-inflammatories, prepare for cough, joint and muscle pain medications, intestinal antimicrobials and antiseptics.
With the rising cost of living, more and more people are unable to get treatment
«The international crisis has caused a increase in the cost of living which will have repercussions on poor families, on the very welfare organizations they turn to when they need help, but also on many non-poor families. Donating a medicine for those who cannot afford it is a way to express, through a simple gesture of gratuitousness, the best of our humanity and to give a sign of hope; a hope that our society, shaken first by Covid and now by the war on Europe’s gates, strongly feels the need for, and which will echo strongly on Saturday 11 February (the most important day of the Harvest week), also on the occasion of the World Day of the Sick,” he says Sergio Daniottipresident of the non-profit Banco Farmaceutico Foundation.
The very important figure of the pharmacist
«Social responsibility is in the DNA of the pharmacy and this also translates in the attention and sensitivity to health inequalities, unfortunately present in many parts of our country as well as in the world. Pharmacists in pharmacies are in contact with citizens and are aware that, unfortunately, there has been an increase in economic hardship and health poverty in recent years, due to contingent situations such as the pandemic emergency and the exacerbation of the international crisis with the consequent increase in the cost of living. The trust that citizens place in us every day is testimony to our daily commitment, as health professionals, towards the community and the most fragile”, he declared Marco Cossolopresident of Federfarma Nazionale.
“The Federation of Pharmacists continues its commitment alongside Banco Farmaceutico to offer concrete help to the most vulnerable people, supporting the collection of medicines that are most effectively needed – he comments Andrea Mandelli, president of the Federation of Italian Pharmacists’ Orders (FOFI) -. The current economic crisis has exacerbated the already widespread health poverty with negative consequences on the health conditions of many Italians. Faced with this situation, everyone’s contribution is essential to help those in difficulty”.