The Pharmacy Guild says a fifth of the pharmacies in Christchurch have had their premises relocated or closed since the earthquake in February last year.
President Karen Crisp told Insight the Guild has been advised that all pharmacies and medical centres need to have a building inspection and an engineeer's report done.
''Just yesterday,'' she said, ''a colleague's pharmacy was closed quite suddenly because damage was discovered in the mall that his pharmacy is in.
''So he faces the uncertainty of yet again patients having difficulty accessing his pharmacy.
''That is just another thing that places a financial burden,'' Ms Crisp said.
''Particularly on a number of pharmacies who, through depopulation of course, their business has changed considerably.
