By Christian Redmann
Christian Redmann argues that fast and uncomplicated access to urgently needed medication is a cornerstone of pharmaceutical care. In Germany this depends on a historically developed system of local pharmacies, which provide medication, advice, emergency service and individual preparations.
The article criticizes foreign mail-order pharmacies and the consequences of the European Court of Justice decision allowing them to ignore German fixed prices for prescription medicines. Redmann sees this as a distortion of competition that threatens local pharmacies while mail-order services do not provide night and emergency service, narcotic dispensing, individual formulations or immediate personal counselling.
He warns that if prescriptions move abroad, local pharmacies will lose their economic basis. This will especially endanger vulnerable palliative patients who depend on timely local provision of formulations, narcotics, aids and direct professional advice. The article closes with a warning that a once solid system may become “built on sand.”
