Assaults on pharmacists increased by 17% compared to 2019

The National Order of Pharmacists is today publishing its annual report on the safety of pharmacists, a document which lists declarations of aggression by professionals on the Order’s form. We learn that 366 attacks were reported by French pharmacists in 2022: 355 reports of attacks in pharmacies, 6 in medical biology laboratories and 5 in pharmacies for indoor use. “Verbal and physical violence against pharmacists is the majority and has been proportionally increasing over the past two years.the report reveals.

Violence “mainly linked to a refusal of dispensation”

The pharmacists concerned reported verbal and physical violence, but also theft. The report indicates that community pharmacists attacked mainly suffered verbal and physical violence (70% of reports), “of which nearly 8% are still linked to the health crisis”specifies the Order.

The report also indicates that the reported violence is most often linked to the impossibility for the pharmacist to dispense the requested medications. Questioned on this point, Pierre-Olivier Variot, president of the Union of Community Pharmacists’ Unions, recalls that this is linked to several factors such as drug shortages (in 70% of cases), difficulties in contacting overwhelmed doctors, medical appointments too far apart…”There is anger that we can understand, like that of this mother who arrived very tired and her worry created her aggressiveness because on her child’s prescription, there were four medications, but the pharmacy did not had none. We had to take the time to call the doctor and check with him. She apologized, but we still take this aggression”declared Pierre-Olivier Variot, to our colleagues at Franceinfo.

The report from the National Order of Pharmacists specifies that the majority of attacks suffered are fortunately not serious (95.8%).

Regions more affected than others

If attacks against pharmacists concern the entire territory, more than a third of them (35%) are concentrated in three regions: Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, Ile-de-France and Pays de France. the Loire. In detail, the document reports that the majority of incidents occur in towns with less than 30,000 inhabitants and particularly in municipalities with less than 5,000 inhabitants (30% of attacks in pharmacies).

Pharmacists who do not always file a complaint

In its report, the National Order of Pharmacists is also concerned about the low rate of complaints filed by pharmacists who have been attacked. In fact, only 35% of them filed a complaint following their attack. If the others have not done it, “it is due to lack of time, fear of reprisals or believing that it is not necessary”we can read on this annual report.

An opinion shared by Pierre-Olivier Variot: “In a phase where they were overwhelmed, I think that the pharmacists did not want to add additional administrative hassle”. However, the Order recalls the importance of reporting attacks against professionals.

Recent years have been marked by an increase in tensions among French patients due to the health crisis, the shortage of medicines but also more difficult access to care (difficulties finding a general practitioner, obtaining an appointment see a doctor quickly…). To improve the situation, the National Order of Pharmacists is calling for easier access to care and better patient care.