A pharmacy in Bahrain has been caught over-charging customers for medications included in a nationwide price-cutting initiative.

It failed to reduce the prices of certain drugs in line with a rule that came into force on September 1, National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) chief executive Dr Baha Eldine Fateha told the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

The pharmacy was given 24 hours to make the required changes, while nine others failed to change the display price of medications.

All 10 were warned after being caught during random inspections at 149 pharmacies across Bahrain by the NHRA.

'Even one pharmacy violating norms cannot be accepted,' said Dr Fateha.

“We had given the pharmacies three months to implement the reduced prices and their claims of not having time is an excuse which cannot be accepted.”

All 10 pharmacies were served warning notice, being the first instance.

“If the violations are found to be continuing, the pharmacies will be referred to the Public Prosecution,” added Dr Fateha.

The price reductions are in line with a new GCC standard for medicine prices and are being rolled out in phases.

The first two reductions, announced in January and effective since May, cover cardiac and vascular medicines, gastrointestinal medicines, as well as those used to treat joint and muscular diseases, among others.

The third phase commencing last Monday includes antibiotics and respiratory medicines, while the next phase, yet to be officially announced, will cover vitamins and herbal medicines. - TradeArabia News Service