2023-10-24 20:40:41
Stupor, incomprehension. At the headquarters of Livmed’s, in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes), the emotion aroused by the attack, at the beginning of the year, of the National Council of the Order of Pharmacists is still strong. This January 10, the start-up specializing in rapid home delivery of medicines is working on the company’s next developments when it receives a summary summons before the Paris judicial court. Reason: the company would exercise “an activity of selling or brokering medicines”.
In other words, “we are accused of illegal practice of pharmacy”deciphers Talel Hakimi, co-founder of Livmed’s, who firmly contests the complaint made once morest him. “Livmed’s does not sell any medicines, take commissions on them, charge for them or stock them. Payment is transferred from the patient to the pharmacist. It does not go through the company’s accounts at any time”, he specifies. The Niçois saw nothing coming, or almost. In December, a few weeks before the order was charged, a competitor he met at a trade show innocently slipped a cryptic sentence to him: “So, you have problems with the order?” »
The appointment is then given on February 9 for a hearing before the judge. The latter ultimately instead orders mediation between the parties. Without success. Around the table, “the order refused any discussion and broke off mediation”, deplores Mr. Hakimi. The start-up is however ready to make certain concessions, she assures. She proposes changing technical elements of its platform, modifying its presentation and communication, and even suggests integrating the National Council of the Order of Pharmacists into its board of directors. In vain. During May, the order withdrew its procedure in order to pursue its legal action within the framework of an accelerated procedure on the merits. “It’s a parasitic maneuver, a purely corporatist reflex. Their goal is to harm business interests and the company’s image, even though they offer no alternative. Because most pharmacies do not deliver to homes, due to lack of time and staff”defends the boss of the start-up.
“We are always open to a discussion with the order”
When contacted, the professional organization refused, for the moment, to comment in more detail on its motivations. “The National Council of the Order of Pharmacists considers that Livmed’s does not have a simple activity of home delivery of medicines, but that it operates an electronic commerce platform for medicines, in violation of the legislation in force”she responded in writing, emphasizing that her only objective was to “guarantee the patient the maximum conditions of safety and quality necessary in the delivery of the medicine”. She is supported in this fight by pharmacists’ unions, who fear seeing a private company, unrelated to the profession, take control of health data. “There is also a human relationship, advice provided by the pharmacist, which these platforms do not offer”argues Pierre-Olivier Variot, president of the Union of Community Pharmacists’ Unions.
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