More than 1 million prescriptions from Hesse's pharmacies

20.08.2012 12:55

In 2011, the 1,590 pharmacies in Hesse produced well over 1 million prescriptions. The German Drug Testing Institute (DAPI) determined this by evaluating regulations at the expense of the statutory health insurance (GKV). The majority of custom-made medications were made up of so-called general prescriptions (535,000) and the production of methadone preparations for heroin replacement therapy (469,000). Any pharmacy can prepare general prescriptions. This is distinguished from special recipes that are manufactured in specialized pharmacies and manufacturing companies.

“The Hessian pharmacies have produced far more than these one million prescriptions,” said Peter Homann, chairman of the Hessian Pharmacists’ Association. “We can only speculate about the actual number, because prescriptions that were not prescribed based on a GKV prescription are not included in the DAPI numbers. These include, for example, prescriptions for privately insured people or if the preparations were made at the patient's request. The figures also do not include the production of special recipes, such as cancer medications or individually produced nutritional solutions.

“Pharmacies make prescriptions because patients need them. “This is not a luxury, but simply a necessity – for example when a child with a heart condition needs a medication in a dose for which there is no industrial drug available,” said Homann. “But for years the fee for preparing the prescription has not come close to covering the costs incurred in the pharmacy. In addition, the requirements for prescription production have increased further due to the new pharmacy operating regulations. It is therefore long overdue that this pharmacy service is fairly remunerated.”