In Germany, brick-and-mortar pharmacies fear the nationwide introduction of e-prescription and competition from large mail-order drug companies, which could benefit from certain regulations via a decree issued by the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG).
The e-prescription rollout was originally planned for Dec. 1, 2021, across the country, but due to technical difficulties with practice software systems and billing problems with health insurers, even the Berlin model with ten „real“ electronic prescriptions has worked poorly since the trial phase began.
Now, local pharmacists are wondering how easy it will be for mail-order drug companies to obtain the e-prescription codes. To this end, the Federal Ministry of Health has issued clear regulations by decree, but these have not yet been published. According to these, the printout of the e-prescription code is permitted. Transmission is also permitted with the patient’s electronic health card, as well as with gematik’s smartphone app. By the BMG’s definition, however, transmission is not only possible via gematik’s e-prescription, but also via smartphone apps from third-party providers, so the major senders would come into play here. The legislature has authorized the BMG to describe a fourth route via third-party providers. The easier the fourth route will be, the easier it will be for third-party providers to use it via their apps, criticize pharmacists, who fear they will lose out big time.
The regulation is still unclear, however, as gematik chief Markus Leyck-Dieken has also said that a first draft is ready, but it would still have to be approved by all EU members in a lengthy process. The BMG will coordinate Leyck-Dieken’s draft with Spahn’s successor.
However, the regulation that has been set in motion may then come too late and no longer be relevant – predicted for the beginning of the second quarter of 2022 – because shippers will bypass the code transfer procedure. They will then have patients use their own app with a photo function to photograph the e-prescription code, which will go directly into the hands of the mail order company.
Source: www.pharmazeutische-zeitung.de