Poland's Health Authorities Face Scrutiny Over Pharmacy Technician Law and Allergy Drug Recall

Polish MPs have submitted interpellations questioning the Ministry of Health’s handling of proposed changes to the Prescription Act that would affect pharmacy technicians. The draft links the highly potent drug list (Article 91 of the Pharmaceutical Law) to the Polish Pharmacopoeia, allowing technicians to dispense over‑the‑counter medicines from this list. The Ministry describes the amendment as merely editorial, while the Polish Union of Pharmacy Technicians warns it would “limit the current rights of pharmacy technicians” and could impact access to medicines in small towns and rural areas.

Separately, the Chief Pharmaceutical Inspectorate has ordered an immediate suspension of the allergy medication Azaneson nationwide after laboratory tests uncovered quality issues related to chromatographic purity. The halt applies to all product batches, and pharmacies and wholesalers are prohibited from selling the drug. Patients are advised to consult doctors or pharmacists for alternative treatments while investigations continue.