15.04.2024 – 18:20
ABDA Bundesvgg. German pharmacist associations
Erfurt (ots)
The secure network of drug supply is becoming increasingly porous. Last year alone, almost 500 pharmacies in Germany ceased operations. That’s just as many as there were in Thuringia at the end of the year. “Our patients have to travel increasingly farther to get to the nearest pharmacy. With medication advice, their own production, night and emergency services, vaccinations and pharmaceutical services, the pharmacies offer services that people absolutely need in the area where they live,” says Gabriele Overwiening, President of ABDA – Federal Association of German Pharmacists Associations. “The situation is more than dramatic. Last year, at the federal level, the drug supply the size of Thuringia disappeared. This means that, in purely mathematical terms, two million people have lost their local pharmacy and now very likely have other options. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach knows about this threatening development, but is doing absolutely nothing to stabilize the pharmacies.”
There is no end to this development in sight
“We have not yet reached the bottom in the number of pharmacies in Thuringia,” adds Stefan Fink, chairman of the Thuringian Pharmacists’ Association. In 2023, twelve pharmacies in Thuringia will have closed, and in the first three months of the new year there will be another four.” The pharmacist sees no signs of an improvement in the situation. “This negative development has been foreseeable for a long time and there are two decisive factors Causes – firstly, we lack young pharmacists because, despite high demand, too few students can start their pharmacy studies and secondly, the pharmacy reimbursement system is chronically underfunded. Politicians know this, but shy away from taking the necessary steps because they set other priorities within statutory health insurance financing that ignore pharmacies. The alternative of “doing nothing” and waiting has much more serious consequences – the noticeable loss of quality of care.”
Patients need real pharmacies and real pharmacies need pharmacists
The suggestions put forward by the Federal Minister of Health, as well as pseudo-solutions, show that politicians are drawing the wrong conclusions. “The solution cannot be to lower the high quality of care.
Health is a valuable commodity and citizens should not have to experience it in fake pharmacies without emergency services and prescriptions,” says Ronald Schreiber, concerned. The President of the Thuringian Chamber of Pharmacists is angry: “For many years, politicians have not faced up to the responsibility that they have has. Instead, solutions are being advocated that have more to do with a dispensing point than with safe drug supply. This is an indictment and has nothing to do with public services for the population. We won’t let those responsible get away with this,” said the pharmacist.
What’s next?
In the past few months, the pharmacists’ professional representatives have held numerous political discussions at federal and state levels. There is still no indication that pharmacies will be strengthened. ABDA President Gabriele Regina Overwiening therefore announces: “In order to ensure the supply of medicines to the population and thus their health, we pharmacists will clearly represent our concerns and the legitimate interests of patients in the coming weeks. As part of our new… Umbrella campaign “Ensure health. “The Pharmacy.” we will inform our patients about the threatening situation directly in the pharmacies. We will also give people the opportunity to comment on the status of their medication supply as part of a nationwide survey. The federal government must understand that Maintaining the supply of medicines is more important than smokescreens, such as health kiosks.”
Chamber President Schreiber adds: “We are always ready for exchange and dialogue. The Thuringia Chamber has written to all mayors and invited them to dialogue. A seven-point plan was presented at the state level, which has now become a list of demands for the state elections,” Fink and Schreiber report on the Thuringian efforts, but also add: “If necessary, we will be loud again and take to the streets for and with our patients.” In terms of federal policy, the ABDA President describes her agenda as follows: “We will never tire of reminding those responsible in politics and on the health insurance side of our common task. Ensuring health is not a sure-fire success, neither in the personal nor in the social sphere. In health you have to invest.”
Additional Information:
www.abda.de
www.lakt.de / www.lebenszeichen-apotheke.de
www.thav.de
Press contact:
ABDA – Federal Association of German Pharmacists Associations e. v.
Heidestraße 7
10557 Berlin
Phone: 030 40004-0
E-Mail: [email protected]
Thuringia State Chamber of Pharmacists
Thälmannstrasse 6
99085 Erfurt
Phone: 0361 244080
E-Mail: [email protected]
Thuringian Pharmacists Association e. v.
Thälmannstrasse 6
99085 Erfurt
Phone: 0361 2440870
E-Mail: [email protected]
Original content from: ABDA Bundesvgg. German pharmacist associations, transmitted by news aktuell