German Pharmacy Association Criticizes Emergency Care Reform
The ABDA warns that new emergency care legislation, which permits physicians to dispense medications, could undermine patient safety and current pharmacy operations.
The German Federal Union of Associations of Pharmacists (ABDA) has voiced strong opposition to the emergency care reform recently passed by the Bundestag. ABDA President Thomas Preis stated that the legislation poses risks to patient safety by bypassing the pharmacist's role as a final verification step in the medication supply chain.
The reform would allow physicians in integrated emergency centers and outpatient services to dispense drugs directly to patients. Preis argues that this eliminates the established 'four-eyes principle,' where pharmacists review prescriptions to prevent misuse or errors. The union asserts that the existing 24-hour pharmacy emergency service network is already sufficient and does not require the creation of parallel structures.
Furthermore, ABDA highlights potential economic consequences for pharmacies. A reduction in prescriptions processed through pharmacies could jeopardize the viability of the pharmacy emergency duty system. The legislation is scheduled for a vote in the Bundesrat on November 20, with the union urging state officials to uphold the current pharmacy-led dispensing model.