Lower Saxony Pharmacists' Association Insists on €12 Dispensing Fee

German pharmacies face collapse without urgent fee hikes and reforms

Just days before parliamentary debates on pharmacy reform begin, the Lower Saxony Pharmacists' Association (LAV) is once again urging policymakers to swiftly strengthen the economic viability of pharmacies and secure local jobs in the long term. The association warns that the draft Pharmacy Supply Development Act (ApoVWG), which fails to deliver the promised increase in dispensing fees, will accelerate the decline of pharmacies and put jobs at risk.

"Pharmacies are more than just pharmaceutical businesses," emphasizes Frank Germeshausen, deputy chairman of the LAV. "They are also small and medium-sized enterprises and local employers." Yet many pharmacies are struggling financially and face closure, leading to the loss of vital jobs in rural areas, towns, and communities. "An immediate increase in the dispensing fee to at least €9.50—though we in Lower Saxony are calling for at least €12—is essential to safeguard the long-term employment of skilled professionals."

As business owners, pharmacists also contribute to local economies by paying trade taxes, which support municipal budgets. If more pharmacies close, these revenue streams will disappear, further straining regional finances.

The pharmacy sector is also predominantly female: nationwide, women make up 89.2 percent of employees in public pharmacies. "Pharmacies are family-friendly employers," Germeshausen notes. "Many staff work part-time, allowing them to balance careers, family life, and caregiving responsibilities—a model that is especially important for women." Closures would therefore disproportionately affect women.

"Given these realities, policymakers must raise the dispensing fee without delay to ensure pharmacies remain economically viable. If they fail to act, they will accept the continued decline of pharmacies and watch as local jobs for pharmaceutical professionals vanish. The result will be cuts to healthcare services for the public," Germeshausen warns.