If an acute illness or disease prevention makes it necessary to take medication, people obtain these drugs from pharmacies. In Germany, there are both retail pharmacies and mail-order pharmacies that sell prescription and non-prescription drugs.
What are pharmacies?
The term pharmacy includes those places where medicines and other medical products are sold to customers. Likewise, pharmacies undertake the testing of medicines and manufacture them themselves on a small scale. Since the main task of these establishments is to supply the population with medicines, only state-certified pharmacists may operate them. The traditional staff also includes pharmacist assistants, PTAs, pharmacy engineers and, in some facilities, trainees. The origins of the pharmacy can be found in the Damascus region, where in the 8th and 9th centuries some spice merchants additionally added remedies to their range and worked closely with healer monks. In Europe, it was not until the 13th century that the profession of physician and that of pharmacist were separated. As a result, pharmacies developed in the form that can be found in many cities today. The legal requirements for opening and operating a pharmacy are regulated in various areas. These include the German Medicines Act and the Pharmacy Operating Regulations. These apply both to retail pharmacies in cities and to mail-order pharmacies in Germany.
Local and stationary pharmacies on site
Local pharmacies or retail pharmacies refer to facilities with customer traffic, where medicines are offered for sale on site. The purchase takes place here directly on site, which is possible in most cities in Germany. Only in small communities is not always a pharmacy of its own to find.
Characteristics of pharmacies
In order to make pharmacies directly recognizable to customers, they use a uniform logo throughout Germany. The letter A is in this logo in red on a white background. A medicine cup and the Aesculapian snake are also incorporated into the letters. The design of this logo, which is still in use today, goes back to Fritz Rupprecht Mathieu and dates from 1951. It was initially only used in West Germany as a uniform mark. With the reunification of Germany, all facilities in eastern Germany eventually adopted the distinctive symbol as well. It is usually prominently displayed at the entrance of local pharmacies as a billboard or sign.
Legal regulations for pharmacies
The legal requirements for local pharmacies are regulated in the Pharmacy Operations Ordinance. In addition, there is the mandatory Medicines Act. These specify, among other things, that a state-certified pharmacist must be present on site. The pharmacist may only be replaced by qualified personnel for four weeks a year in the event of vacation or illness. If a longer substitution period is required, the substitution must be taken over by a pharmacist who is also state-certified.
Advantages and disadvantages to mail-order pharmacies on the Internet
Compared to the mail-order pharmacy, local facilities often provide more extensive advice to customers. The task of pharmacists and their employees is to inform customers about side effects of medicines. In addition, interactions with other medications should be identified and communicated. Particularly in the area of non-prescription medicines, personal and extensive advice is often useful at the time of purchase, since no prescription has been issued by a doctor. Another advantage is that frequently needed medicines are usually in stock and can be purchased and taken immediately in the event of an acute illness. Preparations that are not in stock are ordered by many pharmacies within one day and delivered to the buyer free of charge. Waiting times usually amount to a maximum of one working day. In addition to the sale of pharmaceuticals, many pharmacies offer additional services. These are partly free of charge or only associated with low costs. Classic services include the measurement of blood pressure and blood sugar levels, advice on first-aid kits and vaccinations, and the rental of medical aids. The disadvantage of buying at local facilities compared to buying online at a mail-order pharmacy is the cost of medications. For non-prescription drugs, a price saving of up to 60 percent is possible online.In addition, purchasing is only possible within regular business hours. Outside of these, there is a pharmacy emergency service in large cities and counties, which ensures the supply of medicines outside normal business hours in acute emergencies.
Mail-order pharmacies on the Internet
Mail-order pharmacies handle the supply of medicines exclusively by mail and take orders online, by telephone or sometimes by fax. In online stores, they offer both prescription and non-prescription medicines and other items related to health, fitness and wellness and deliver them to customers by mail order.
Legal regulations for mail-order pharmacies
The Pharmacy Operating Regulations and the Medicines Act stipulate that mail-order pharmacies must also offer their customers comprehensive advice on purchases. This is usually done by email, chat or telephone. Within Germany, mail-order pharmacies may only be operated if a local pharmacy is also available. The situation is different if the headquarters of the mail-order pharmacy is located in another European country.
Advantages and disadvantages of mail-order pharmacies
A noticeable advantage of mail-order pharmacies are the prices for medications. Especially in the case of non-prescription preparations, there is often a significant saving when buying online. In the case of prescription drugs, some mail-order pharmacies from abroad give bonuses when redeeming prescriptions, allowing savings on co-payments. In any case, however, the original prescription must be sent. Some providers take over the postage costs or offset them against the purchase value. Another advantage is the discretion when shopping. Unlike in local pharmacies, there is no personal contact between pharmacist and customer. In addition, purchasing medicines from mail-order pharmacies is possible around the clock. Instead of visiting a local pharmacy, the purchase is made online from a PC at home and the items are delivered directly to the customer’s home. This can be an advantage for people with limited mobility or who live in a very rural area. However, the shipping times are a disadvantage compared to the local pharmacy. Depending on the type of medication, it can take several business days for the shipment to reach the customer. In the case of an acute illness, this time window is often too long. However, the shipping time is not a problem for scheduled purchases of medicines for regular use. In many cases, advice is also less frequent. Although this is required by law, many customers do not take advantage of it. Information about side effects and interactions is therefore not always provided. In addition, not all mail-order pharmacies offer direct settlement with the health insurer for co-payments for prescription drugs. In some cases, customers have to do this billing themselves and first have to make advance payments.
This is what you should look for when choosing your local or mail-order pharmacy!
When choosing a pharmacy, various criteria play a role. In the case of a mail-order pharmacy, it is advisable for consumers to pay attention to the location of the main branch. Within Europe, largely uniform regulations apply with regard to buyer protection, safety and drug prescription. Preparations from more distant foreign countries may not be approved in Germany due to a lack of testing. Such preparations usually pass customs on the way and are not delivered to the buyer in many cases in the course of consumer protection. Therefore, it only makes sense to order from mail-order pharmacies in Germany and other EU countries. It is also worth taking a look at test seals when shopping online. For example, they provide information on customer data protection and the encryption of relevant order data. It can also be helpful to look at reviews from previous customers. This applies to both mail-order and retail pharmacies. If you urgently need a medicine or want intensive advice, your local pharmacy is the best place to go. Online pharmacies often offer lucrative price savings for regular and planned purchases of medicines.
