Date : 14-02-2010

Question :

A  certain pharmacy has reached an agreement with some doctors whereby prescriptions are issued for persons who aren`t actually sick. The medications are covered by the insurance and are picked up from this pharmacy to be sold to other pharmacies with  a profit that could reach (40%) although the original agent`s profit doesn`t exceed (13%). As an owner of a pharmacy, is it permissible for me to purchase such medications from other pharmacies and sell them in mine?

The Answer :

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.


 


Taking the funds of the health insurance through forged prescriptions is amongst the major sins because it is a transgression against public funds and eating them up unjustly. This is attested to in the following verse {Which means}: "O ye who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves in vanities: But let there be amongst you Traffic and trade by mutual good-will: Nor kill (or destroy) yourselves: for verily God hath been to you Most Merciful! If any do that in rancour and injustice,- soon shall We cast them into the Fire: And easy it is for God." {An-Nisa`, 29-30}.


In addition, it isn`t permissible for anyone to take, buy or sell medications dispensed through a false prescription because this is ill-gotten money, which is unlawful to benefit from. Rather, it must be returned to its owner. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.