Number of pharmacies in Saxony continues to fall

According to industry representatives, the number of pharmacies in Saxony continues to decline. "In some regions such as Bautzen, Görlitz or Vogtland, patients already have to travel longer distances to the nearest pharmacy," said the President of the State Chamber of Pharmacists, Göran Donner, on Tuesday. For parents of small children and older people in particular, this means a noticeable deterioration in the previous supply situation. The number of pharmacy closures is increasing sharply from year to year.

According to the report, the closures affect both rural regions and cities. While there were still 1002 local pharmacies in Saxony in 2011, there are currently only 895, according to the data. 90 pharmacies in Saxony have closed their doors for good in the past seven years alone. This corresponds to a loss of almost ten percent. According to the data, Saxony's pharmacy density of 22 pharmacies per 100,000 inhabitants is already far below the European average of 32. The reasons for the many closures include inflation, increased personnel and energy costs, supply bottlenecks and a flood of bureaucratic regulations.

The Chairman of the Saxon Pharmacists' Association, Thomas Dittrich, criticized: "If politicians do not act immediately and create economic planning security in order to maintain and strengthen nationwide supply, pharmacy closures will continue." According to the report, almost ten percent of pharmacies in Saxony are already operating at a loss, while a further 30 percent are in financial difficulties and are therefore also considered to be at risk in the medium term.