The choice of pharmacies is no longer large in rural areas. The industry is plagued by a problem with skilled workers and successors, many pharmacies are closing – there is no end in sight.
If you want to redeem a prescription, in some places you have to go further than in the past. In the first half of the year, the number of pharmacies in Germany fell by 162 to 18,591, as announced by the Federal Association of German Pharmacists’ Associations (Abda) in Düsseldorf.
That corresponds to a minus of almost one percent. This continues the trend of the past few years. In 2008 there were still around 21,600 pharmacies – after that it went downhill.
Now the number is lower than it has been in almost four decades. According to the information, there were a total of 18,377 pharmacies in the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR in 1982, fewer than in Germany today. It’s about business premises – i.e. main pharmacies plus branches. The decline affected almost all federal states, only in Bremen and Saarland the number of pharmacies remained constant in the first half of the year.
Abda President Gabriele Regina Overwiening pointed out the shortage of skilled workers and the difficult search for successors in many places. Regarding federal politics, she said that she expected “a clear commitment to the local pharmacy with clear planning horizons” for the coming legislative period. She went on to say: “Then young pharmacists will also be inspired to take over a pharmacy in the country and improve the supply of pharmaceutical services there.”
The German Pharmacists’ Day begins this Wednesday in Düsseldorf. Around 300 industry delegates from different parts of the country are expected. Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn (CDU) has been announced for Thursday. A major topic is the electronic prescription, which will be available everywhere in Germany at the beginning of 2022 and should replace the paper prescriptions that have been common up to now.
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
