The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

MEMBERS of the Bahamas Pharmaceutical Association are threatening to take legal action against the government, telling the press the Pharmacy Act passed in 2009 has been violated.

Nine members of the Association met yesterday at the law office of Romauld Ferreira.

They said despite traditionally having a “harmonious relationship” with the government and the Pharmacy Council, they are baffled by Minister of Health Perry Gomez’s recent appointments to the council.

The BPA wrote the Pharmacy Act and sent it to all government officials before it was drafted in 2009, according to president of the association Stephon Flowers.

However, he said that the association was “informed of the appointments made by the Minister of Health for the 2013-2013 term of the Bahamas Pharmacy Council and is appalled that several appointments have been made in direct violation of the Pharmacy Act.

“The Act is clearly specific as to the parameters for all appointments, and it is apparent that the appointments in question were made with disregard for what is written into the Act.”

Pressed for details, members said by serving on the council for another stint, two persons appointed by Dr Gomez are exceeding the two term limit stipulated by the Act.

“The BPA has written to the minister on two occasions since the appointments were gazetted and informed his office that these appointments are made in contravention to the law,” Mr Flowers said, adding that the association has also written to Dr Gomez several other times since the beginning of May, 2012, requesting a meeting to “discuss various matters of importance to the pharmacy community and national healthcare”.

“We have offered on every single occasion, the full support of the association in improving pharmaceutical care, and all expertise that lie within the body.

“To date, the association has not been acknowledged, nor granted any opportunity for the necessary dialogue,” he said, adding: “We now find ourselves in this very public position, having to retain legal counsel to seek to rectify the mistakes made, when we repeatedly sought to address the matters in private, but were ignored and disregarded.

“We therefore call on the Minister, Dr Perry Gomez, to rescind all appointments that we have noted to his office, meet with the leadership off the Bahamas Pharmaceutical Association, and work together to correct this problem. We further call on the minister to create a forum for dialogue with the BPA to address various pressing matters that directly involve the pharmacy stakeholders and the government, including but not limited to the National Prescription Drug Programme of the National Insurance Board, and the regulations of standards for the import and export of medications. And we implore the minister to involve pharmacy stakeholders, including the association, in the development of the upcoming National Health Insurance initiative, which currently has no representation from the pharmacy practice sector.”

The Tribune was unable to contact Dr Gomez for comment yesterday.

The Bahamas Pharmaceutical Council is responsible for the regulation of all aspects of the pharmacy industry in the Bahamas, as outlined in the Pharmacy Act. The council has seven members, five of whom are appointed by the Minister of Health. With more than 150 members, the BPA is comprised of pharmacists, technicians, pharmaceutical representatives, distributors, regulators, educators and supply management personnel.