Nationwide closing day
Lauterbach puts pharmacists in their place
06/11/2023 10:38 am
The pharmacists’ associations are demanding a 50 percent increase in fees for prescription drugs. A kind of warning strike is intended to demonstrate that they are serious. Across Germany, they only offer emergency care on Wednesday. However, the health minister sees no room for manoeuvre.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has rejected demands from the pharmacist associations for more fees. “The statutory health insurance companies are complaining about financial problems, the finance minister is cutting funds. Under these circumstances, there is currently no room for higher fees for pharmacists,” said the SPD politician to “Bild am Sonntag”. The pharmacists’ associations are demanding an increase in the fees for prescription drugs from EUR 8.35 to EUR 12 per pack.
Next Wednesday, pharmacists want to close nationwide – except for emergency care – in order to emphasize their demands. The President of the Federal Union of German Pharmacy Associations (ABDA), Gabriele Overwiening, warned: “The nationwide supply of medicines could be endangered if the number of pharmacies continues to fall unabated.”
The number of pharmacies recently fell below the 18,000 mark. At the end of March there were still 17,939 pharmacies nationwide – that was the lowest level in more than 40 years. Main pharmacies and branches are recorded, of which pharmacists can operate up to three. According to the ABDA, there are significantly more employees, currently around 160,000. However, this is related to more part-time work and more complex tasks due to an aging society. Overall, the association reports a “very serious” shortage of young people and staff.
The industry also complains about bottlenecks in medicines. The ABDA sees this as a “symbol of a health policy that is too much focused on savings” and accuses the federal government of inaction. In the event of supply bottlenecks, pharmacists demand more decision-making powers.