As in an article by www.radiohagen.de can be seen, the Pharmacies dying out in Germany progressing inexorably. Last year, 500 pharmacies had to close their doors - a number that corresponds to the entire number of pharmacies in Thuringia. This alarming development is endangering the supply of the population, warned Gabriele Overwiening, head of the Federal Association of German Pharmacists (Abda), in Berlin. In the last 20 years, a fifth of pharmacies have ceased operations, and since the beginning of the year a further 142 have closed. To draw attention to their concerns, pharmacists are planning a nationwide campaign on this year's "Pharmacy Day".
Strong decline to 17,571 pharmacies in Germany
Abda and the pharmacy union Adexa are demanding a significant increase in the fee of 8.35 euros per prescription drug, which has remained unchanged since 2013. According to Noventi board member Mark Böhm, statistically more than one pharmacy disappears from the market every day, with the exact number being 1.36. In 2023, there will only be 17,571 pharmacies in Germany. The economic hardship is forcing many operators to close their pharmacies.
Compared to the European average, Germany is significantly worse in terms of pharmacy density. While in the EU there are an average of 32 pharmacies for every 100,000 inhabitants, in Germany there are only 21 - a criticism highlighted by Overwiening.
More financial Support necessary
Andreas May, the federal board member of Adexa, stresses that the closure of pharmacies is progressing at an ever faster pace and that redundancies are increasing. Pharmacies are therefore urgently demanding more financial support from politicians. According to Böhm, the main reason for the closures is mainly economic considerations. According to him, urban pharmacies are more affected by this development than rural ones.
The plans of Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach to allow "pharmacies light" without a pharmacist present are vehemently rejected by Abda and Noventi. There are fears that this will significantly endanger local supplies.
Source: nachrichten.ag
