Pharmaceutical Market: 25 Billion Dirhams in Annual Spending

The President of the Competition Council, Ahmed Rahhou, stated on Tuesday in Rabat that the Council is calling for a debate on the evolution of the economic model of pharmacies in order to improve the services provided to citizens and support the ongoing transformations of the healthcare system.

Speaking at a press briefing dedicated to presenting the Competition Council’s opinion on the situation of the pharmaceutical market in Morocco, Mr. Rahhou said that this reflection comes in a context marked by the generalization of social protection and the expansion of health coverage—developments that could lead to an increase in healthcare spending and in the volume of drug consumption.

The pharmaceutical market in Morocco represents about 25 billion dirhams (MAD) in annual spending, he noted, adding that a significant portion of this amount passes through retail pharmacies, while nearly 13 billion dirhams goes through pharmaceutical wholesalers responsible for supplying these pharmacies.

According to Mr. Rahhou, the central issue is not only the economic importance of the sector, but also the quality of the service provided to citizens in return for these expenditures, particularly regarding access to medicines.

In this regard, he recalled that Morocco has a relatively dense pharmacy network, with more than 14,000 pharmacies—about one pharmacy for every 2,600 inhabitants—a level higher than the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO).

However, the real challenge lies more in the organization of services and the availability of pharmacies at different times of the day. Opening hours are sometimes limited, which can make access to medicines more difficult for citizens, Mr. Rahhou observed.

The Council’s president also emphasized the central role of pharmacists in dispensing medicines, stressing that this task requires the presence of a qualified professional capable of verifying medical prescriptions and advising patients.

In this context, he mentioned the possibility of evolving the current pharmacy model, particularly through forms of grouping or by employing several pharmacists within the same pharmacy, in order to ensure better service continuity and extend opening hours.

Furthermore, Mr. Rahhou highlighted that the sector is facing growing economic constraints, in a context marked by the increasing number of pharmacy graduates and pressure on the profitability of pharmacies.

He pointed to the possibility of a regulated opening of pharmacy capital to investors, arguing that such a development could help mobilize additional resources to modernize pharmacies, improve the services offered, and strengthen the availability of medicines. According to Mr. Rahhou, such an option would not undermine the pharmacist’s role in dispensing medicines, which would remain the responsibility of a licensed professional in accordance with regulations.

In addition, the president of the Council noted that some pharmacies—particularly smaller ones—face difficulties in acquiring expensive medicines, which can limit their availability in certain pharmacies.

In this regard, he recommended forms of cooperation or grouping among pharmacies to improve supply and strengthen the availability of treatments. The avenues mentioned in the Competition Council’s opinion are primarily intended to fuel public debate on the evolution of the pharmaceutical sector, and any reform should involve all stakeholders, including public authorities, professionals, and citizens, Mr. Rahhou concluded.