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.
