Pharmageddon: Could Close Pharmacies As Protest Spreads?
With popular protests erupting in countries around the world, one particular type of protest is making waves: the Pharmageddon protest. An offshoot of the 2020 pandemic protests, this is a call to action for pharmacies to close in order to pressure their governments to address the skyrocketing cost of medication and the inflated prices of essential medical equipment.
The Pharmageddon campaign started in Sweden earlier this year when protesters blockaded roads and occupied a pharmacy in a bid to gain public attention and sway government policy. The goal of the protests was to get the Swedish government to make life saving drugs more affordable and, in doing so, increase access to necessary and essential medication.
The protests quickly spread to other parts of Europe, the United States and Australia. Pharmacies in these countries joined in by closing their doors temporarily to bring the issue to light. Protesters argued that soaring prescription costs were driven by big pharmaceutical companies and the fervent lobbying of the industry. As a result, many have been unable to obtain essential medication despite years of economic hardship.
The Pharmageddon protest has spurred some governments to take action. In the United States, the Biden administration has taken steps to lower the cost of generics and give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) more latitude to control drug prices.
But while these steps may provide short term relief, protesters still struggle to get their message across. More significantly, the protests have yet to adequately mitigate the cost of essential medical equipment, which remains as high as ever.
The protesters are determined, but the future of the Pharmageddon protests remains unclear. To be sure, the issue of affordable medication is an important one, and the Pharmageddon protests have already led to notable changes. But the high cost of medical equipment remains one of the most pressing issues in the area of healthcare, and this will require more than just a simple protest to resolve. Only time will tell if the Pharmageddon protests can succeed in pressuring governments around the world to address this issue once and for all.