Concerns are mounting over the impact of online pharmacies offering discounts on prescription medications in Germany. The Federal Association of German Pharmacist Associations (ABDA) has voiced support for a planned initiative by Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken, aiming to address these promotional practices by European online pharmacies.
ABDA President Thomas Preis emphasized that the current situation, where foreign logistics companies appear to leverage contributions from statutory health insurance (GKV) recipients to fund customer discounts, is problematic. “It cannot be the case that contributions from insured individuals are diverted to subsidize discounts and bonuses” Preis stated, adding that such practices are incompatible with a patient-focused healthcare system.
Minister Warken has signaled her intention to safeguard the provision of local, personalized medication dispensing for all patients, striving to create equitable conditions between online and brick-and-mortar pharmacies. She highlighted the need to protect the accessibility of in-person pharmacy services.
Data indicates a notable decline in the number of pharmacies across Germany, shrinking by roughly ten percent in the last five years. Preis attributes this trend, in part, to the growth of international online pharmacies.
The loss of local pharmacies represents a reduction in essential healthcare access for communities, particularly affecting older individuals who often rely on pharmacies as their primary point of health consultation in an increasingly digitized healthcare landscape. These closures also result in increased travel distances for patients.
The recent ruling by the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) concerning a European-based online pharmacy’s ability to offer bonus payments on prescription drugs has intensified the debate. While the court permitted these incentives, the ruling has spurred discussion about the implications for price regulation and the principles of free trade within the European Union. The pricing of prescription medications is legally regulated in Germany, designed to ensure uniformity across all pharmacies.