Germany is experiencing a significant decline in the number of pharmacies, with 384 closures reported in 2024, amounting to a 2.2% drop from the previous year. This trend is creating challenges for patients, who now face longer distances to access pharmaceutical services. Contributing factors include rising operational costs, supply shortages, and a lack of qualified personnel. The ABDA has called for government intervention to reverse this decline, emphasizing that each closure further deteriorates patient care. Additionally, proposed pharmacy reforms by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach aim to ease the establishment of new pharmacies, but concerns remain about their potential viability without licensed pharmacists.