After court ruling: Minister Warken opposes prescription drug discounts and supports local pharmacies

Minister Warken defends Rx price regulation: Equal competition conditions for pharmacies demanded

Following the recent ruling by Germany’s Federal Court of Justice (BGH) on prescription drug price regulations, political opposition is growing. Federal Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) has clearly spoken out against offering discounts on prescription-only medicines, emphasizing her intention to uphold price regulation.

“Pharmaceutical care must not depend on discount promises,” Warken told the Funke Media Group. She stressed that local pharmacies must not be disadvantaged compared to foreign mail-order companies. The BGH ruled that the previous price regulation in the German Medicines Act (AMG) does not apply to mail-order pharmacies based in other EU countries.

Warken announced plans to ensure fair competition between local pharmacies and mail-order services in order to maintain access to care across all regions. Especially in rural areas, face-to-face contact at the pharmacy is vital for many patients — particularly the elderly.

ABDA President Thomas Preis also voiced strong criticism. He warned that foreign logistics companies are now using statutory health insurance funds to finance customer discounts, undermining local providers. Preis also pointed to the dramatic decline in the number of pharmacies and called for urgent political action: “Health policy must now intervene.”

Several other policymakers, including Simone Borchardt (CSU) and Stephan Pilsinger (CSU), have joined the call to secure Rx price regulation in law.