ABDA Board Urges Health Minister to Rethink Pharmacy Reform

The German Federal Union of Associations of Pharmacists (ABDA) has formally addressed Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken, requesting significant changes to the proposed pharmacy reform. The letter, endorsed by all presidents of the state chambers of pharmacists and chairpersons of state pharmacy associations, emphasizes the urgent necessity to strengthen the economic and structural frameworks supporting community pharmacies across Germany.

Central to the ABDA's appeal is a call for an immediate increase in the fixed remuneration for pharmacies, which, according to the organization, has remained unchanged for over ten years. The ABDA argues that this lack of adjustment has contributed to a growing number of pharmacy closures, a thinning of the nationwide pharmacy network, and increasing risks to the continuity and security of pharmaceutical care for the population.

The ABDA points out that the current draft of the pharmacy reform includes structural measures that could weaken pharmaceutical care. Specifically, the organization warns that the proposed reforms fail to meet their intended objectives and instead jeopardize the future of accessible medication services. The ABDA highlights an unfulfilled commitment from the coalition agreement, which had promised an increase in the fixed remuneration to 9.50 euros per prescription. The organization asserts that failure to implement this increase promptly would lead to further structural losses within the sector.

Another area of concern for the ABDA pertains to the proposed relaxation of the mandatory on-site presence of licensed pharmacists. The draft legislation introduces provisions that would allow pharmacy technicians (PTA) to temporarily manage pharmacies in the absence of a pharmacist. The ABDA voices strong objections to this change, warning that it constitutes a fundamental alteration to the existing system and poses potential risks to patient safety. While recognizing the important and responsible role of PTAs in pharmacy operations, the ABDA maintains that only pharmacists, with their academic training and comprehensive pharmaceutical expertise, should bear overall responsibility for patient care in pharmacies.

According to the ABDA, lowering professional standards will not resolve the sector's ongoing personnel shortages or structural challenges, and small pharmacies are unlikely to benefit from the proposed changes. The letter insists that the presence of academically trained pharmacists is essential to guarantee the quality and safety of pharmaceutical services, a standard to which citizens are entitled.

The ABDA's letter concludes with a clear set of demands to the Health Minister: to deliver on the promised economic strengthening of pharmacies, to maintain the essential requirement for pharmacists' presence in pharmacies, and to establish sustainable conditions for pharmacy teams to ensure secure medication provision for the public. The organization emphasizes that pharmacies are an indispensable component of the national healthcare infrastructure and deserve reforms that provide genuine prospects for the future. The ABDA also expresses its willingness to engage in constructive dialogue to develop viable and forward-looking solutions.