Under the pharmacy reform law (ApoVWG), pharmacies may offer venous blood draws. For many teams the question is who exactly may take this task on. This post sets out the current legal position factually.
May pharmacy technicians (PTA) draw blood in the pharmacy?
As the ApoVWG currently stands, the venous blood draw is reserved for licensed pharmacists after doctor-led training. Pharmacy technicians (PTA) are not provided for the venous draw as things stand. The capillary measurement within established offerings is untouched by this and remains possible.
The ApoVWG (pharmacy reform law) has been in force since 2 July 2026, published on 1 July 2026 in the Federal Law Gazette 2026 Part I No. 195. It opens up the option for pharmacies to offer venous blood draws. The law ties the entitlement to the licence to practise and to a prescribed doctor-led training. For pharmacy technicians (PTA), the current position provides no independent entitlement to the venous draw.
Who may draw venous blood in the pharmacy?
Licensed pharmacists may carry out the venous blood draw, once they have completed doctor-led training. The basis of this training will be a model curriculum produced by the Federal Chamber of Pharmacists together with the German Medical Association. It is due by 2 November 2026 at the latest and will set the content requirements.
The model curriculum lays down the content requirements for the training. Until it is published, the concrete shape of the qualification is not finally settled. Pharmacies that want to offer venous draws should follow the official publications of the chambers and document the qualification of the licensed person concerned.
What can pharmacy technicians (PTA) take on within blood diagnostics?
Even though pharmacy technicians (PTA) may not carry out the venous draw as things stand, they can take on many tasks around a diagnostics offering. These include appointment organisation, approaching customers, preparing the workstation, explaining the process and supporting sample logistics. That keeps the team closely involved.
Who may do what around a blood draw offering
| Task |
Who |
Note |
| Venous blood draw |
Licensed pharmacist after training |
Pharmacy technicians (PTA) not provided for as things stand |
| Capillary measurement (for example Tasso+) |
Within established offerings |
No venous training needed |
| Appointments and approaching customers |
The whole team |
Organisational task |
| Preparation and sample logistics |
Team, depending on assignment |
Follow pre-analytics carefully |
The specific split of tasks should always be checked against the current professional legal position and the requirements of the responsible chamber. The overview above assigns typical activities to their area of responsibility. It replaces no legal advice and reflects the current state of knowledge.
Is the capillary blood draw possible for pharmacy technicians (PTA)?
The capillary measurement, for example with a system like Tasso+, is already possible today within established offerings and needs no venous training. It differs from the venous draw that the ApoVWG newly rules. The specific implementation should be agreed with the requirements of the chamber.
Capillary procedures collect only small volumes of blood from the fingertip or through an attachment system on the upper arm. They are lower threshold than a venous draw but do not cover every analysis spectrum. Which analyses are reliably possible from capillary blood depends on the procedure, the marker and the requirements of the respective lab.
What should pharmacies prepare organisationally now?
Pharmacies that want to offer venous blood draws should plan early for who brings the licence and the training, and keep the other ApoVWG deadlines in view. Until the model curriculum arrives, rooms, processes and the split of roles in the team can already be prepared.
- Decide which licensed person in the team will take on the venous draw in future.
- Follow the publication of the model curriculum (by 2 November 2026 at the latest) and plan the training in.
- Observe the two month deadline for standard operating procedures (SOP) from entry into force and document internal processes.
- Agree rooms, the hygiene concept and sample logistics with a lab.
- Involve pharmacy technicians (PTA) and PKAs in the organisational tasks around the offering.
Several deadlines run from entry into force on 2 July 2026. The steps above help with a structured preparation without pre-empting regulatory requirements.
Where does the medical interpretation of blood values sit?
A single blood value is not a diagnosis. Reference ranges are orienting guide values and depend on the lab. Unusual or unclear results always belong in the medical context. The pharmacy can offer measurements and explain the process, but it replaces no medical examination, no diagnosis and no therapy.
This principle applies regardless of who collects the sample. The pharmacy's task within blood diagnostics lies in factual information and in forwarding the sample to an accredited lab. The medical assessment of a result is the responsibility of the doctor's practice.
Frequently asked questions
May pharmacy technicians (PTA) draw venous blood under the ApoVWG?
Not as things stand. Under the ApoVWG, licensed pharmacists who have completed doctor-led training may carry out the venous blood draw. For pharmacy technicians (PTA) the venous draw is currently not provided for. The final frame follows among other things from the model curriculum of the chambers that is still to be published.
Since when does the ApoVWG apply?
The pharmacy reform law (ApoVWG) has been in force since 2 July 2026. It was published on 1 July 2026 in the Federal Law Gazette 2026 Part I No. 195. Several implementation deadlines for pharmacies run from the date of entry into force, for example for the standard operating procedures and the model curriculum on blood draw.
Do pharmacists need training for the venous blood draw?
Yes. The ApoVWG requires doctor-led training for the venous blood draw. The basis will be a model curriculum that the Federal Chamber of Pharmacists develops together with the German Medical Association and is due to present by 2 November 2026 at the latest. Until then the concrete shape is not finally settled.
Is the capillary blood measurement affected by the reform?
The capillary measurement is already possible today within established offerings and needs no venous training. What the ApoVWG newly rules is above all the venous blood draw. Which analyses make sense and are reliable from capillary blood depends on the procedure, the marker and the requirements of the respective lab.
Can pharmacy technicians (PTA) support customers with the blood draw offering?
Yes. Pharmacy technicians (PTA) can take on organisational tasks, for example appointments, approaching customers, preparing the workstation, explaining the process and supporting sample logistics. The venous draw itself stays reserved for licensed pharmacists as things stand. The split of tasks should be checked against the requirements of the chamber.
Terms explained quickly
- ApoVWG is the Apothekenversorgung-Weiterentwicklungsgesetz, in force since 2 July 2026, which among other things makes the venous blood draw possible in pharmacies.
- Approbation is the state licence to practise the profession of pharmacist, to which the ApoVWG ties the venous blood draw.
- PTA stands for pharmaceutical technical assistants (Pharmazeutisch-technische Assistenten), who work in the pharmacy but may not draw venous blood as things stand.
- Model curriculum is the training curriculum for the venous blood draw, to be produced by the Federal Chamber of Pharmacists and the German Medical Association, due by 2 November 2026 at the latest.
- Capillary measurement is the collection of small volumes of blood without a venous puncture, for example with a system like Tasso+, already possible today within established offerings.
Sources
For pharmacies
Aniva provides the complete blood diagnostics infrastructure for the local pharmacy, including the lab, the result, the app report and the logistics. Learn more at Aniva for pharmacies and in the post on the pharmacy blood draw.
As of 4 August 2026. Aniva Health editorial team, no warranty. This article is not legal advice. Please check the split of tasks with your state pharmacists' chamber before you start.
