With the pharmacy reform law (ApoVWG), the debate about pharmacy pay in 2026 has flared up again. This article sorts out what was actually changed and why pharmacies are increasingly turning to additional services.
What is the fixed fee in the pharmacy?
The fixed fee is the fixed share of pay that pharmacies receive per dispensed prescription pack, on top of the percentage wholesale and manufacturer mark-up. It is part of the statutory medicinal products pricing regulation and, alongside compounding and emergency service pay, forms a central building block of pharmacy remuneration.
The fixed fee is set uniformly across the country and is independent of the price of the individual medicine. It is meant to pay for the pharmaceutical work involved in dispensing, whether the product is expensive or cheap. Alongside it sits the percentage mark-up, which follows the purchase price and weighs more heavily on costlier products. On the exact level of the fixed fee and possible adjustments under the recent reform, pharmacies should check the figures published by their professional bodies and the Federal Ministry of Health, because amounts can change during the legislative process and blanket numbers go out of date quickly.
What does the ApoVWG actually rule about pay?
The pharmacy reform law (ApoVWG) has been in force since 2 July 2026. It contains rules on new pharmaceutical tasks, for example the venous blood draw by licensed pharmacists after doctor-led training, and so creates additional fields of activity alongside classic dispensing.
Concrete deadlines from the law: a model curriculum for the blood draw training is due no later than four months after entry into force, produced by the Federal Chamber of Pharmacists together with the German Medical Association. For standard operating procedures (SOP) the deadline is two months, for pay negotiations four months, with an arbitration body as a fallback after twelve weeks if the negotiating partners do not agree. These deadlines mainly concern the organisational and contractual side of the new services, not the classic fixed fee per pack. For reliable statements on specific pay amounts, it is worth looking directly at the announcements of the Federal Ministry of Health and the ABDA, since the state of negotiations can change continuously.
Which deadlines are running for pharmacies now?
Since the ApoVWG came into force on 2 July 2026, several deadlines have been running in parallel: two months for standard operating procedures, four months for the model curriculum on blood draw, four months for pay negotiations and twelve weeks for an arbitration body should no agreement be reached.
The overview below lists the deadlines the ApoVWG sets and how long each one runs.
ApoVWG deadlines at a glance
| Deadline |
Duration |
| Standard operating procedures (SOP) |
2 months from entry into force |
| Model curriculum for blood draw |
4 months from entry into force at the latest |
| Pay negotiation |
4 months from entry into force |
| Arbitration body (if no agreement) |
12 weeks after the negotiation deadline expires |
Why do pharmacies need additional revenue sources?
Because the fixed fee per pack is paid regardless of how much advice each case takes, a substantial part of pharmacy revenue still depends on pure dispensing volume. New services such as pharmaceutical services or wider on-site offerings open up additional, plannable earnings alongside the classic pack business.
The pharmaceutical services (pDL) now cover ten services: five already established ones with fixed prices and five new ones currently under negotiation. Eight of the ten pDL work without a doctor's prescription, which makes them organisationally easy to fit into everyday practice. For the pDL as a whole, a pot of around 537 million euros is available as of March 2026. That shows the legislator is deliberately shifting part of the pay away from pure dispensing and towards pharmaceutical advice.
How does the fixed fee relate to new services like the blood draw?
The fixed fee and the pay for new services such as the venous blood draw are legally separate components. While the fixed fee pays for dispensing medicines, the ApoVWG provides for separate pay negotiations for new pharmaceutical tasks, and their outcome will only be settled once the statutory deadlines have passed.
For the venous blood draw the rule is: it is permitted for licensed pharmacists after doctor-led training, and PTAs are not provided for as things stand. Capillary measurements, for example with systems like Tasso+, are already possible today within established offerings and are not subject to the same transition deadlines as the venous draw. Any pharmacy planning to invest in diagnostics should look at the pay question separately from the fixed fee debate and keep an eye on the negotiation results of the coming months. One point matters when setting expectations with customers: a single blood value is not a diagnosis, it is one building block that only medical professionals can assess in the full picture.
Frequently asked questions
Was the fixed fee officially raised in 2026?
On the exact level of the fixed fee per pack in 2026 and any adjustments to it, pharmacies should check the current figures from the Federal Ministry of Health and the ABDA. This information page deliberately names no specific euro amount, because figures can change during the ongoing legislative and negotiation process.
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. From that date, the deadlines named in the law for the model curriculum, SOP and pay negotiations have been running.
What are pharmaceutical services (pDL)?
Pharmaceutical services are additional, separately paid advice services by the pharmacy alongside dispensing medicines. There are ten pDL in total, five existing ones with fixed prices and five new ones under negotiation, eight of them without a doctor's prescription.
Are PTAs allowed to draw blood?
As the ApoVWG stands, the venous blood draw is reserved for licensed pharmacists after doctor-led training. For PTAs this activity is not provided for as things stand. Capillary measurements are independent of that and already possible today within established offerings.
Why are pharmacies diversifying their income?
Because the fixed fee is tied to pack dispensing and does not automatically rise with the amount of advice given, many pharmacies are looking for additional, plannable revenue. Pharmaceutical services and new on-site offerings such as the blood draw can work as a complement, provided the pay is negotiated accordingly.
Terms explained quickly
- Fixed fee (Fixum) is the fixed share of pay that pharmacies receive per dispensed prescription pack on top of the percentage mark-up.
- ApoVWG is the pharmacy reform law, in force since 2 July 2026, which among other things rules on new pharmaceutical tasks and their pay.
- Pharmaceutical services (pDL) are additional, separately paid advice services by the pharmacy that go beyond dispensing medicines.
- Model curriculum is a training frame produced jointly by the Federal Chamber of Pharmacists and the German Medical Association, here for the venous blood draw by pharmacists.
- Arbitration body is a neutral instance that decides on pay questions if the negotiating partners fail to agree.
Sources
For pharmacies
Aniva delivers the complete blood diagnostics infrastructure for the local pharmacy: lab, the result, app report and logistics. Learn more at Aniva for pharmacies and in the ApoVWG guide.
As of 4 August 2026. Aniva Health editorial team, no warranty. Please check with your state pharmacists' chamber and your business liability insurer before you start.
