16.10.2025 18:48
In Mersin, a patient's relative assaulted a pharmacy apprentice with a stick for providing a generic version of the medication instead of the one on the prescription. The pharmacy employee survived thanks to the fact that the butterfly knife did not open, and he filed a complaint against the attacker.
A relative of a patient in the Erdemli district of Mersin assaulted a pharmacy apprentice with a stick for giving a generic drug instead of the prescribed medication. In the incident captured by security cameras, the attacker, who injured the apprentice's head with the stick for providing a generic drug, then attacked him with a knife he pulled from his pocket, but bystanders managed to intervene.
There has been a backlash against the attack on the pharmacy employee. According to the information obtained, the incident occurred about 1.5 months ago at Meryem Pharmacy, located across from the emergency entrance of Erdemli State Hospital in the Central Neighborhood, when a person named İsmail T. argued with pharmacy apprentice Arif Fidan, stating that the medication given to his father was not the one written on the prescription but a generic version.
ATTACKED WITH A STICK FOR GIVING A GENERIC DRUG
After the argument, the individual left the pharmacy but returned this morning and attacked Fidan with a stick he brought with him. The attacker injured the apprentice by hitting him on the head with the stick and then approached Fidan, who was standing behind the counter, with a knife he pulled from his back pocket. While the attacker tried to open the knife, a brief struggle ensued when the pharmacy apprentice fought back. During this time, the fight was interrupted by bystanders entering the store, and the attacker was detained following a complaint.
ATTACKER IN CUSTODY
After receiving treatment, Fidan went to the police station and filed a complaint against İ.T. The district police department teams detained the suspect who carried out the attack recorded by the pharmacy's security camera.
RESPONSE FROM THE PHARMACY CHAMBER TO THE ATTACK
Mersin Pharmacy Chamber President Aliye Akgül Aydın and accompanying pharmacists held a press conference in front of the workplace.
Aydın, who reacted to the attack, stated: "As a result of a physician misdirecting a patient regarding equivalent medication, a physical assault has occurred against our pharmacy employee. While we fight to stop violence in healthcare, it is unacceptable for such an attack to happen to our colleague. Such irresponsible behaviors directed at our pharmacies are an attack on the honor of our profession, public health, and the integrity of healthcare services."
THE ATTACKER DESCRIBED THE INCIDENT
Arif Fidan also recounted the incident: "Yesterday, a citizen came to our pharmacy; his prescription was from September. While checking his medications, he used vulgar language towards me. I then asked him to leave. This morning, that person's son came and suddenly started to attack. He had a knife, but since it wouldn't open, he hit me with the stick. If the knife had opened, it could have been much worse. I filed a complaint. I hope such an incident does not happen again."