Court overturns Health Ministry decision allowing nursing clinics to keep shock medications

BAGHDAD — An Iraqi court on Wednesday annulled a Health Ministry decision that allowed nursing clinics to store and use shock medications, ruling in favor of a lawsuit filed by the Iraqi Pharmacists Syndicate, which argued the measure violated Pharmacy Practice Law No. 40 of 1970.

The syndicate said it had issued a notice on July 7, 2025, objecting to the ministry’s decision to permit nurses to handle certain emergency medications, and pursued “administrative and legal procedures to ensure the enforcement of Pharmacy Practice Law No. 40 of 1970,” ultimately taking the case to court.

Shock medications are emergency drugs used to treat acute reactions such as severe allergic responses, sudden drops in blood pressure, or other life-threatening collapses. Under Iraqi law, these drugs are normally dispensed and administered through licensed pharmacies.

“After reviewing the lawsuit filed by the Iraqi Pharmacists Syndicate, the court issued its decision to cancel the permission allowing shock medications in nursing clinics for violating the law,” the statement said. The ruling was issued in the presence of all parties and is subject to appeal.

The syndicate said it remains committed to monitoring issues affecting the pharmacy profession and defending pharmacists’ rights through legal and administrative channels. It also urged pharmacists to maintain strong professional ties with colleagues in the medical, nursing, and health sectors and to reject attempts by “anyone who attempts to exploit this issue or others to harm the relationship between the parties, whether through social media or elsewhere.”