Expanding pharma services available to consumers at pharmacies becomes an option for discussion
In a bid to modernise and strengthen the pharmaceutical sector, the German government has announced a series of reforms aimed at enhancing the services provided by pharmacies and increasing their flexibility.
These changes, spearheaded by Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken, will see pharmacies offering a wider range of services, including vaccinations, preventive care, and health information. Notably, pharmacies will now offer all protective vaccinations with "inactivated vaccines," covering not only flu and corona vaccinations but also those against tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough.
Pharmacists will also be authorised to dispense certain prescription-only medicines without a prescription for chronically ill patients in urgent need and with known long-term use. This extends to uncomplicated illnesses like a simple urinary tract infection.
The reforms also aim to relieve doctors' practices by allowing pharmacists to offer screening tests for cardiovascular diseases.
To provide more flexibility, the planned reform will allow pharmacies to dispense preparations with the same active ingredient if a prescribed medicine is not in stock. Furthermore, the reform will release previously prescribed opening hours for pharmacies, allowing them to better adapt their business hours to local demand, particularly in rural areas.
Smaller pharmacies will benefit from these changes, gaining more space to operate. The reforms also aim to give pharmacists more responsibility, with pharmaceutical technical assistants in pharmacies able to assume more responsibility after at least a two-year further training.
However, these changes have not been without controversy. The president of the Federal Association of German Pharmacists' Associations, Thomas Preis, has criticised the delay in the remuneration increase, as stated in the coalition agreement between Union and SPD. The increase in the fixed component of the remuneration from 8.35 euros per package to 9.50 euros, amounting to around 900 million euros, was expected to help make up for what has been missed over two decades.
The Association of General Practitioners has expressed concern about the potential risk to patient safety due to these plans. Nina Warken, however, has emphasised that she stands by the agreement regarding the remuneration increase, but the first goal is to keep contributions stable at the turn of the year.
It is important to note that, due to the current financial situation, no further burdens can be imposed on statutory health insurance at the moment. The organization representing the leadership of pharmacies in Germany, the ABDA – Federal Union of German Associations of Pharmacists, has not announced any changes in the leadership structure as of yet.
The reform plans form a package of new regulations aimed at strengthening and better utilising pharmacies for supply. These changes are set to revolutionise the pharmaceutical sector in Germany, making it more accessible and responsive to the needs of the public.
