Federal Initiative to Streamline Recognition of Foreign Pharmacy Qualifications

The Federal Chamber of Pharmacists (BAK) has expressed its support for a newly proposed legislation aimed at expediting the recognition of foreign professional qualifications in healthcare. This initiative comes amid increasing concerns regarding the shortage of qualified pharmacists in Germany's healthcare system.

Recently disclosed, the draft legislation seeks to simplify and alleviate the current recognition processes for foreign qualifications, which are often cumbersome and time-consuming. The Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) is particularly focused on revising the Federal Pharmacist Regulation, proposing several significant changes.

One notable amendment allows applicants with foreign pharmacy education to potentially bypass the equivalency assessment of their qualifications, permitting them to directly enter the knowledge examination. This shift means that degrees obtained in third countries will not require individual assessments to determine their equivalency to German qualifications. Instead, candidates will be evaluated based on knowledge comparable to that of German-trained pharmacists during the examination.

BAK President Armin Hoffmann welcomed this acceleration in the recognition process. He noted that the streamlined procedures would ease the burden on both applicants and state authorities by reducing the amount of documentation required. Importantly, the quality of healthcare services would remain high, as the new regulations pertain solely to the recognition processes, not the professional standards.

Hoffmann warned that without proactive measures, the healthcare sector could face a shortfall of over 7,000 pharmacists in pharmacies by the end of 2033. He emphasized the critical role that pharmacists play in healthcare, describing them as highly specialized and urgently needed professionals.

The BAK has previously appealed to the Bundesrat (Federal Council) to ensure that changes to the pharmaceutical professional law align with these developments, advocating for adaptations that extend beyond just medical professions to include pharmacy.

In light of these changes, the BMG plans to complement the expedited recognition with regulations in the respective licensing ordinances and examination regulations, which will be addressed through a separate, timely process.