On June 14, 2023, many pharmacies in Germany will remain closed.
(Photo: dpa)
Dusseldorf, Berlin After the Corona years, which were expensive for the health system, the industry has to save. Pharmacists in Germany have been complaining for months about reduced funds and lower fees for more and more work – for example due to delivery bottlenecks. A major digital project is also pending: the introduction of the electronic prescription (e-prescription) from July 1, 2023.
A nationwide day of protest by pharmacies is intended to draw attention to these problems today. The Federal Union of German Associations of Pharmacists (ABDA) started the initiative. ABDA chairman Hans-Peter Hubmann explains in a statement that the federal government has so far presented neither plausible plans to combat the supply bottlenecks nor to strengthen the economy and digitize pharmacies.
Consumers and patients across Germany are asking themselves the question today: How long will the protest last? And where can medicines still be obtained in an emergency? When will the e-prescription start nationwide? An overview of the most important facts about the pharmacy protest day.
Pharmacy strike: What are the reasons behind the June 14 protest?
The pharmacists are demanding that the fee they receive for passing on prescription drugs be increased. The amount is currently 8.35 euros. The professional associations demand 12 euros.
The federal government’s plans look different: It does not consider it possible to finance more fees for the pharmacies. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) and Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) want to relieve the health insurance companies in particular, who have had to pay dearly for the past pandemic years. For example, the so-called health insurance deduction that pharmacies have to pay to the health insurance company for each prescription drug is to be increased from 1.77 euros to 2 euros.
Criticism comes from the pharmacist associations: “Save broken pharmacies? Not with us!” is the slogan of today’s protest day. The ABDA has also presented a catalog of demands with ten points.
Where can medication be obtained in an emergency on the day of the protest?
The pharmacy emergency service, which is intended to ensure the supply of medicines in Germany at any time of the day or night, still exists today. This means that certain pharmacies are open to serve patients in urgent cases. In Germany this is stipulated by law. Since online pharmacies are mostly based in the Netherlands, they are not taking part in the protests and are on duty. However, please note the order times.
Which pharmacies in my region have emergency service today?
The nearest emergency pharmacy can be found online by entering the location or postal code. On aponet.de, an ABDA portal, the search is carried out using a map. Consumers and patients can also get information via the chargeable telephone hotline 0800 00 22 8 33.
How long will pharmacies be closed on June 14?
Pharmacies in Germany remain closed all day. According to the ABDA, the supply should only be secured via the emergency services.
In individual cities such as Düsseldorf, Berlin or Hanover, the professional associations are also calling for rallies.
How does Karl Lauterbach react to the pharmacy strike?
The SPD politician is understanding, but explains that there is “no leeway” for higher pharmacy fees. Among other things, the savings requirements imposed on the individual ministries by the finance minister are too strict.
The Federal Ministry of Health also pointed out that both sales and turnover in pharmacies have risen sharply in recent years. In addition, the pharmacy fees have been improved on several levels – for example with the introduction of the night and emergency service flat rate, a separate messenger service fee and the increase in the fee for the dispensing of narcotics.
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According to the ABDA economic report, the revenue development of the pharmacies is positive: the basic turnover of the pharmacies rose by 13 percent between 2020 and 2022. The average net turnover of a pharmacy in Germany is around 2.8 million euros per year.
How many e-prescriptions have already been redeemed in Germany?
Actually, the e-prescription should have been available all over Germany for a long time be available. However, the nationwide introduction of e-prescriptions was stopped last year due to data protection concerns; mandatory use is only to come when the electronic health card is redeemed.
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According to the ABDA, all pharmacies have been connected to the corresponding system since September 1, 2022 and are technically able to receive e-prescriptions. According to the Gematik company, two million have been redeemed so far (as of June 13). According to the ABDA, this can be done via the “Gematik App” and a printout.
How might e-prescriptions be redeemed in the future?
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has now announced that the majority of all pharmacies should be equipped with card readers by the end of July, so that e-prescriptions can also be redeemed using the electronic health card. According to the ABDA, insured persons can already print out their e-prescriptions or redeem them using the Gematik app.
More: How Lauterbach wants to tackle the drug shortages