More than 1,100 pharmacies in Portugal, 39% of the total, had medical supplies suspended by at least one supplier last June due to payment arrears, according to the National Association of Pharmacies (ANF).

ANF president João Cordeiro, speaking at a news conference Thursday, 30 August, also warned that about 600 establishments faced the risk of imminent bankruptcy if the government failed to intervene.

The sector had total debts of €235bn in June, he said, blaming the crisis in part on recent government-ordered cuts in the retail price of medicines.

Cordeiro described the Ministry of Health’s policy as having achieved good results in increasing the consumption of medicines at reduced costs to the government and customers, but charged the gains came at unbearable costs to pharmacies.

“It’s urgent that the government squarely face the very grave situation”, he said, critisizing what he said was its failure to reduce costs at public hospitals.