Physicians practicing in emergency care facilities would soon be permitted to dispense medication to patients. According to a new draft for emergency reform, reported by the “Politico” newsletter “Gesundheit” Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken (CDU) plans this change.
The document, dated March 31st, stipulates that physicians at these emergency practices would be allowed to distribute medications for acute needs “in specific, narrowly defined emergency care situations”. This measure is intended to ease the availability of medicines.
Under the Medicinal Products Act, a dispensing right would be established, allowing the immediate follow-up care with medicines for physicians at an integrated emergency center’s practice, comparable to the existing system for dispensing medication directly after a hospital treatment at a hospital pharmacy. Furthermore, mandatory pharmacy medical devices could also be dispensed.
However, this dispensing would only be permitted if the patient’s required care cannot be adequately assured through a public pharmacy. Therefore, if there is an open pharmacy in the vicinity, the patient must be directed there.
Additionally, drug dispensing by doctors is only allowed if the medicine needs to be administered immediately. The Ministry of Health cites urgent antibiotic or pain therapy as an example. The dispensed amount is limited to bridging a maximum of three days. Narcotics are fundamentally exempt, as their supply must continue to be managed by a pharmacy.
Currently, it is generally prohibited in Germany for medical professionals to pass out medications to patients. This separation between doctors and pharmacies is designed to prevent conflicts of interest when prescribing drugs. Warken’s plan would alter this practice.
Previously, the German Association of Pharmacists (ABDA) had warned against “parallel structures” in medication dispensing in December. In a position paper regarding the first draft, the ABDA stated, “The emergency reform must not weaken the strength of local neighborhood pharmacies. A secure and quick supply of medicines in an emergency is only possible through local pharmacies”.
The Federal Cabinet is scheduled to consider Warken’s emergency reform at the end of April.