Pharmacy Reform Takes Effect, Mail Order Remains Disruption
ABDA, the German Association of Pharmacists, welcomes the new pharmacy reform fully entering into force on September 22, 2026. The reform includes future remuneration negotiations and new regulations for discounts.
Berlin – The German Association of Pharmacists (ABDA) has announced that the government's pharmacy reform package is now fully in effect as of September 22, 2026. The final component, the "Ordinance Amending the Pharmacy Practice Ordinance and Other Ordinances," was published in the Federal Law Gazette, marking the completion of the reform.
A key aspect of the reform establishes future remuneration negotiations between health insurance funds and the German Pharmacists Association (DAV) starting in 2028. This aims to ensure that pharmacy fees are renegotiated annually to keep pace with inflation and rising costs, ending previous long periods of decoupling. Additionally, the reform lifts the existing ban on discounts for pharmacies.
ABDA President Thomas Preis expressed satisfaction with the reform, believing it will empower Germany's approximately 16,000 pharmacies and their 160,000 employees with greater responsibility in healthcare. "Reliable medicine and health supply requires clear future prospects for pharmacies," Preis stated. The reform is expected to help halt the decline in the number of pharmacies and provide economic stability for new and acquiring pharmacists.
Despite the reform, ABDA warns that the mail-order sale of medicines, particularly from abroad, continues to pose a challenge to equitable drug distribution in Germany. The association argues that mail-order is still inadequately regulated and controlled, allowing for prohibited discounts and undermining national drug price regulations. ABDA views this as a missed opportunity to adequately regulate the mail-order sector.