German pharmacy Internet Rx trade OKd

The German Ministry of Health has announced that it will allowpharmacies to include on-line Internet trading in prescription drugs within their sphere of activity, a move which is being resisted strongly by official pharmacy organizations.

Health Minister Ulla Schmidt had already indicated her intention of allowing Internet trading of prescription-only medicines, with the aim of reducing the health funds' expenditures burden (Marketletter May 28). However, any amendments to the Drug Law are not considered feasible in the current legislative period, although the Ministry has made it clear that e-commerce will be introduced as soon as possible, through a special regulation if necessary.

It is not certain how widespread the takeup of this new opportunity will be, with one official suggesting that this will depend on whether pharmacies are rural or urban. Many pharmacies already offer mail-order services to their customers, and the new opening would merely extend this.