Over SR400 million is lost every year because of excessive purchase of medicine stocks by health facilities, official statistics show. The medicines remain unused and have to be destroyed when their shelf lives expire, according to information obtained from this week's First Summer Scientific Meeting held in Al-Hada. The conference was organized by the Saudi Pharmacology Society in collaboration with the Military Hospital. Saudi Arabia's medicine market worth is estimated at SR7 billion, with a growth rate of 9 percent annually. The country has 3,228 pharmacies, employing mostly expatriates for want of qualified pharmacists among Saudis. __
