The German drugstore chain dm is poised to launch the delivery of over-the-counter medications within Germany as early as this year, a move triggering significant concern and potential political backlash. Confirming the development to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND), the company’s expansion strategy bypasses existing German regulations through a complex and increasingly controversial legal maneuver.
Currently, German law prohibits drugstores from selling prescription medications directly. To circumvent this, dm has established a subsidiary pharmacy in Bor, Czech Republic, from which it intends to ship over-the-counter drugs into Germany. This tactic has drawn sharp criticism from both within the healthcare sector and among politicians, who warn of a weakening of vital German pharmaceutical standards.
Simone Borchardt, health policy spokesperson for the CDU/CSU, voiced grave concerns, stating that even seemingly benign medications can carry serious risks associated with side effects and drug interactions. She argues that medications should remain within the purview of qualified pharmacy personnel rather than becoming part of online drugstore shopping baskets. Borchardt directly accused dm of exploiting a legal loophole in a targeted attack on Germany’s established pharmacy system, highlighting the circumvention of the “foreign ownership ban.
The Greens’ health policy spokesperson, Janosch Dahmen, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the distinction of pharmaceuticals as a critical area requiring specialized handling. He cautioned that using foreign subsidiaries to sell medications should not be used to sidestep the stringent quality controls inherent to the German pharmacy framework.
This practice is not exclusive to dm. Major online pharmacies like Shop Apotheke and Doc Morris already utilize similar strategies, establishing operations in the Netherlands to ship medications into Germany, capitalizing on the country’s comparatively relaxed regulatory environment.
Thomas Preis, president of the Federal Association of German Pharmacists (ABDA), expressed deep concern that this practice harms German pharmacies, pointing out their essential roles in public health – providing emergency services, creating skilled jobs and contributing to local economies through taxes. Preis stressed the crucial need for a robust and secure pharmacy network, particularly in light of recurring crises and pandemics, a system that he fears is being eroded by the increasing prevalence of cross-border online sales. The maneuver raises fundamental questions about the future of the German pharmacy system and the ongoing tension between commercial interests and public health principles, potentially leading to legislative challenges and a re-evaluation of cross-border trade regulations.