Pharmacies profit margins and density too high?

Pharmacies: profit margins and density too high? In an interview with the newspaper „Rheinische Post“ the chairman of the GKV-Spitzenverband, Dr. med. Doris Pfeiffer, calls for savings at the pharmacies.

In an interview with the newspaper „Rheinische Post“ the chairman of the GKV-Spitzenverband, Dr. med. Doris Pfeiffer, calls for savings at the pharmacies.She said that the profit margins of pharmacies are currently so great that at some locations there would be a greater density of pharmacies than was actually necessary.

This statement is supported by a report by the ARD magazine „Report Mainz“, from February 1, 2010. There was in the post „Klamme health insurance - rich pharmacists. Why pharmacies are spared from savings“ reported among others by the Hildesheimer Straße in Hannover, on which there are 15 pharmacies. Furthermore, the example of a drug showed how high the profit margins in pharmacies could be.
The professor at the Center for Social Policy of the University of Bremen, Gerd Glaeske, speaks in the interview even that „expressed as a whole“ every third pharmacy could be put up for dispute. Pfeiffer further demanded that the discounts for major customers who receive the cash registers at the pharmacies be put into a legal framework.

The SPD health politician Karl Lauterbach points in the report Mainz- contribution then that a larger competition among drug buyers without „relevant security issues“ be introduced. From a pharmacist's point of view, one could argue that in addition to the sale, the advice is important, which can hardly ensure a mail order, or pick-up jobs. Pfeiffer, as well as the report of Mainz, conclude that the implementation of their proposals will save billions in healthcare without any loss of quality. (Thorsten Fischer, Naturopath Osteopathy, 14.03.2010)

Further information on the topic:
- Report Mainz report: „Klamme health insurance - rich pharmacists. Why pharmacies are spared from savings.“
- RP interview with Doris Pfeiffer