BAK on the ban on pick-up points

30.10.2009 14:14

“Monopoly Commission questions consumer and health protection”

The Federal Chamber of Pharmacists (BAK) strongly opposes the radical market statements of the Chairman of the Monopolies Commission, Justus Haucap, regarding the supply of pharmaceuticals and the government's proposed ban on so-called pick-up points.

BAK President Erika Fink: "While the Monopolies Commission is unfortunately often unable to break the power of corporations, it wants to leave the field to potential monopolists, especially in the healthcare sector, which is dominated by the independent and medical professions."

According to the BAK, care for people in a radically free-market healthcare system like the one in the US would be worse and more expensive. Fink: "Personal responsibility for patients and consumers is apparently completely irrelevant. This reveals that the Monopolies Commission has no understanding of healthcare and pharmaceutical provision."

The Federal Chamber of Pharmacists points out that neither petrol stations nor drugstore chains – both of which are usually owned by corporations – are concerned with providing high-quality pharmaceuticals, but rather only with optimising profits at the expense of the insured.

Fink: "The Monopolies Commission confuses competition with radical market liberalization and misinterprets the social market economy." There is already intense competition in terms of performance, quality, and price among the more than 21,600 independent pharmacies. This competition is becoming tougher, but only within the
boundaries consciously drawn by the legislature and society.

Fink: "It is questionable from a health and consumer policy perspective that we are not learning from past mistakes: To date, the Monopolies Commission has barely managed to protect consumers from rip-offs, especially in the corporate-dominated healthcare markets. It is inexplicable why they are now promoting the empowerment of the healthcare system. Rather, it is consistent from a regulatory policy perspective and in the interest of consumer protection that the government relies on the personal responsibility of pharmacists, but also of doctors, as the basis for safe healthcare and pharmaceutical provision."