80 Percent of MV Pharmacies Closed on Monday - German pharmacies stage mass closures in protest over frozen reimbursement rates

Hundreds of pharmacies across Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will close their doors on Monday as part of a nationwide protest. Pharmacists are demanding urgent action from the federal government to address stagnant reimbursement rates that have remained unchanged since 2013.

The protest, scheduled for March 23, 2026, will see over 80 percent of non-emergency pharmacies in the region shut down for the day. Despite the closures, emergency services will continue to operate normally. Patients with non-urgent needs have been advised to delay visits until Tuesday.

Pharmacists in the region are calling for a flat-rate increase in the *Fixum*—the fixed fee paid per medication. The Pharmacists' Association of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania expects several hundred professionals to join a demonstration in Berlin. Their demand follows 13 years of frozen fees, during which operational costs have risen sharply. With roughly 350 pharmacies currently operating in the state, the sector plays a key role in Germany's decentralised medicine supply. The protest highlights growing financial strain, as many pharmacies struggle to remain viable under the current funding model. The governing coalition had previously promised fee adjustments in its coalition agreement, but no changes have yet been implemented.

The protest underscores long-standing concerns over funding gaps in the pharmacy sector. If no resolution is reached, further closures and service reductions could follow. The outcome of Monday's action may determine whether the federal government revisits its fee structure.