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Health Care, Disease Control, Crime and Safety in Holy See (Vatican City State)

The Vatican has an efficient health care system that addresses the needs of all those residing within the state. The Vatican Pharmacy known as Farmacia Vaticana was founded in 1874 by Eusebio Ludvig Fronmen. The pharmacy caters to around 2000 customers each day. This is most probably because of the fact that it is the only pharmacy that is located in Vatican City. With the given knowledge that it is the only available pharmacy, it has been said that it is the busiest pharmacies in the world.

The director of the Vatican Pharmacy is traditionally a Fatebenefratelli monk. It is under the Directorate of the Health Services department of the Vatican.

The history of the pharmacy starts in 1874 with the then Cardinal Secretary of State Giacomo Antonelli and his request to Eusebio to supply the medicines of the Pope and the cardinals residing at the Vatican. Eusebio at that time was a shop keeper of a nearby pharmacy. He agreed to provide the medicines. It was in 1917 that the pharmacy moved closer to the Vatican which was located by the entrance gate called St. Anne’s Gate. Over time and after the agreement of the Lateran Treaty, the Vatican Pharmacy moved its location to the Palazzo Belvedere. The Pharmacy is located behind the central post office which is also across the Vatican supermarket.

The medicines are duty-free since the Vatican has no taxes. It must also be noted that there are no such contraceptives and abortifacients available within the pharmacy since it is against Catholic teaching and belief.