Pharmacy Climate Index 2023: A lot of pessimism in pharmacies, clear demands on politicians
28.09.2023 15:29
Pessimism in pharmacies regarding their own economic situation and the ongoing shortage of young talent and staff is increasing. At the same time, the demands on politicians for stable framework conditions and a noticeable increase in fees are becoming increasingly clear.
Around two thirds (63.6 percent) of all owners fear that the economic situation of their own pharmacy will deteriorate in the next two to three years. When a position is advertised for a pharmacist, 40.4 percent of those surveyed answer that they do not expect to receive a single application.
How great the economic pressure is on pharmacies can be seen in the questions about pharmacy fees: nine out of ten pharmacists (90.4 percent) would like to see better economic conditions in the next two to three years political agenda. Four out of five respondents say that increasing the fixed surcharge per prescription drug from currently 8.35 euros (80.0 percent) and making it more dynamic (84.2 percent) are their top priorities.
These are the results from the Pharmacy Climate Index 2023, a representative opinion survey by IQVIA on behalf of the ABDA - Federal Association of German Pharmacists' Associations, which was presented at the start of the German Pharmacists' Day on September 26th in Düsseldorf. For the index, 500 pharmacy owners nationwide have been surveyed every year since 2016.
“The pharmacy climate index as a mood indicator shows that we as ABDA - the association of 17 chambers and 17 associations that represent the interests of the almost 18,000 public pharmacies and the almost 70,000 licensed pharmacists - are right with our decisions and planning this year. And of course these values also give us support for further protest measures,” said ABDA President Gabriele Regina Overwiening.
The use of pharmacies does not receive sufficient recognition from politicians
“The pharmacies are struggling, but they have the impression that their commitment to health policy is neither sufficiently recognized nor particularly appreciated or even appropriately rewarded. The number of pharmacies has been falling steadily for years, an acute shortage of young talent and staff, as well as cost increases due to inflation and collective agreements make it clear that the aim is not to improve the situation, but rather to simply maintain the current level of comprehensive drug supply to the population between the Baltic Sea and the Alps ,” says Overwiening.
Demand for 12 euros per prescribed medication
Overwiening continued: “The pharmacists are demanding 12 euros per prescribed medication or – to put it another way – an additional 2.7 billion euros per year in order to ensure the supply of medicines in the future. A responsible health policy takes the concerns of pharmacies seriously – and acts accordingly. Minister Lauterbach: Answer our questions about how you want to ensure the supply of medicines close to home via local pharmacies for people in this country!” Overwiening also pointed out that the number of pharmacies has been falling for years because of the lack of future prospects for pharmacies and now reached a historic low.