pharmacy deaths - Number of pharmacies in Rhineland-Palatinate reaches a low
The number of Apothekes in Rhineland-Palatinate has reached a new low in the first half of this year. There are 832 Apothekes in the state, according to the Apothekerverband Rheinland-Palatinate. That's 20 fewer than six months ago. The decline is 2.3%, which is higher than the nationwide average of -1.6%. The apotheken density in Rhinland-Palatinate is reportedly now at 20 apothekes per 100,000 inhabitants.
Compared to the first six months of the previous year, the decline in apothekes nationwide has reportedly accelerated, according to the Apothekerverband. In the first half of 2024, there were 283 fewer apothekes, in the previous fiscal year 238, and exactly 205 in the first half of 2022.
The association sees underfunding as a major cause of this trend. "Apothekes are dependent on fair framework conditions from federal politics," said Jan-Niklas Francke, chairman of the Apothekerverband Rheinland-Palatinate. "The apotheke funding is legally prescribed and was last increased by 3% in 2013. Since then, inflation has risen by almost 30%, and the costs of apotheke businesses have risen by around 60%." In Rhinland-Palatinate, there was no new apotheke startup in the first half of the year, it was reported.
The Pharmacists' Association in Rhineland-Palatinate expressed concern over the decline, with Mainz being one of the regions affected. The low apotheke density in this low-lying area could potentially impact the overall health of its inhabitants. The pharmaceutical industry in Rhineland-Palatinate, heavily reliant on apothekes, may also be influenced by this trend.
