Pharmacies: The Future First Point of Contact for Patient Care

Germany’s Apothekenreform: Expanding Pharmacy Services to Enhance Patient Care

Germany’s recent legislative changes to pharmacy regulations, known as the Apothekenreform, mark a significant shift in how pharmacies operate and the services they can provide. This reform, passed by the Bundestag in May 2026, aims to address challenges faced by pharmacies, including staffing shortages and declining economic viability, while improving patient access to essential healthcare services.

Key Changes in Pharmacy Services

The reform expands the scope of services pharmacies can offer, allowing them to perform standard venous blood draws to monitor medication effectiveness. This change is intended to streamline patient care by reducing the need for separate visits to medical facilities for routine blood tests. Pharmacies will be permitted to dispense certain prescription medications without a physician’s prescription under specific conditions.

For instance, pharmacies may provide the smallest pack size of a medication if it is necessary to continue a treatment without delay. This applies to medications that patients have been taking for an extended period and are deemed safe for self-administration. The reform also allows pharmacies to handle “unkomplizierten Formen bestimmter