Thousands of Moroccan pharmacists staged a sit-in protest in Rabat on Thursday, April 9, 2026, rejecting recent recommendations from the National Competition Council. The protest was organized by the National Confederation of Pharmacists' Unions of Morocco (CNOPM).
The pharmacists are opposing the council's report, which advocates for liberalizing the pharmacy sector. Key recommendations include allowing non-pharmacists to own pharmacies and permitting the opening of new pharmacies without demographic or geographic restrictions, which protesters argue would commercialize healthcare.
Protesters carried banners with slogans such as "The medicine is not just any commodity" and "No to the commodification of health." The CNOPM argues that the current regulated model ensures medication safety and proximity of care, and that the proposed changes would prioritize profit over public health.
The National Competition Council's report, published recently, aims to increase competition and reduce medication prices. The Moroccan government has not yet issued an official response to the protests or indicated if it will adopt the council's recommendations.
