Undersupply warning
The pharmacy network in NRW is still viable, according to the President of the Westphalia-Lippe Chamber of Pharmacists, Gabriele Regina Overwiening. “However, there are increasingly individual areas with weaker supplies, especially in rural or structurally weak regions.” It was “five to twelve” to ensure nationwide supply. “We must now strengthen the structures of the local public pharmacies before regions are undersupplied. In concrete terms, this means: We must strengthen the public pharmacies,” says Overwiening.
Health economist David Matusiewicz
Health economist David Matusiewicz told WDR on Tuesday that there is currently an unequal distribution of pharmacies and not too few. “We have regions, cities, where we have four pharmacies at a crossroads, and there are rural areas where the distances are too long.” On the one hand, there are small pharmacies that are reaching their limits – also because of the competition on the Internet. They would have to do a lot for a relatively manageable turnover. “On the other hand, there are big chains, especially in the cities, that are doing very well and making a lot of money.”