Over the past few years, from the entry into force of the pharmacy for the pharmacist, over 2.2 thousand have been closed. pharmacies in Poland, and about 400 municipalities do not have a pharmacy in its area. Three out of five Poles, to buy medicines, must go to another town. The signatories of the open letter to the Minister of Health prepared by the coalition “For dependent help” call for a change in priorities in legislation regarding the pharmacy market. They also call for systemic actions to counteract health exclusion because of the place of residence.
– Since 2017, 2.2 thousand locked up in Poland. pharmacies. It is as if we deprived access to pharmacies of four northern voivodships. Let's imagine a situation when there is no pharmacy in the West Pomeranian, Pomeranian, Podlasie and Warmian-Masurian voivodships. This is a huge problem, the pharmacy regulations for the pharmacist are simply very bad, as evidenced by the situation, which causes enormous degradation on the pharmacy market – emphasizes in an interview with Newseria Agency Mariusz Kisiel, president of the board of the Franchise Pharmacy Association.
The pharmacy for the pharmacist is an regulation forced in 2023 by the Supreme Pharmaceutical Chamber, introducing numerous demographic and geographical restrictions to the pharmaceutical law that hinders the opening of new pharmacies or maintaining existing ones, interfering with previous decisions and ownership. The changes were made without public consultations, without the assessment of the effects of regulation required by law. Therefore, the Constitutional Tribunal recognized the procedure for introducing changes as unlawful with the Constitution, but the lack of publication of the judgment means that unconstitutional provisions are still in force.
– Legal regulations are currently constructed in such a way that they are significantly hindered by the creation of pharmacies in rural areas, in municipalities such as my commune of Perlejewo. They even lead to the fact that these pharmacies or even pharmacy points are closed. At the moment, residents have to drive several kilometers to the nearest pharmacy – explains Jakub Wierzbicki, the head of the Perlejewo commune.
Theoretically, the provisions are to prevent the market to take over the market. At the same time, however, the regulations influenced adverse changes in the market – about 2 million inhabitants from 103 municipalities were deprived of unrestricted access to medicines. Another 800 municipalities have only one pharmacy or pharmacy.
– It is estimated that between 1.5 and 2 million people in Poland are deprived of the immediate vicinity of the pharmacy, if dependent people have to travel 30 km one way, 30 km in the other, we can really send them to the moon. If we attach to this transport exclusion, where the elderly do not have private means of transport, and the bus to the surrounding town is one in the morning, return in the evening, then there is no such possibility – emphasizes Dominika Kowalczyk from the coalition “na helpless help”.
Over the past seven years of the regulations (pharmacy for pharmacist 1.0 and 2.0), limiting the right to conduct a pharmacy only for pharmacists, 2247 pharmacies disappeared from the Polish market.
According to the data from January 2025, after the pharmacy regulations, the number of pharmacies fell to 11,360. From January 2024 to January 2025, 197 pharmacies were closed, and from the time of introduction at the end of 2023, there are already 257 of them.
– Until 2017, the number of pharmacies was growing all the time, the market stabilized, pharmacies were closed, new appeared in their place, a kind of consolidation lasted on the market, which allowed to achieve better prices and purchase conditions, better availability. From 2017, i.e. from the entry into force of the pharmacy for the pharmacist, the number of pharmacies began to drop drastically, and this trend deepened from 2023, when the next Pharmacy Act for the pharmacist came into force, the so -called 2.0. The cause and effect relationship is evident – says Mariusz Kisiel.
According to a study conducted by the Indicator marketing research center, 78 percent respondents believe that the pharmacy is close to their place of residence. However, if the rural areas are taken into account, this percentage drops to 40 percent. Three out of five Poles have to go to another town to buy medicines. An even more difficult situation is in the case of so -called duty pharmacies, i.e. services 24 -hour – in emergency. Two -thirds of patients do not have access to the 24 -hour pharmacy in the area. Among the inhabitants of Eastern Poland, this indicator increases to 73 percent, and in the villages up to 94 percent.
– Every day in his work in pharmacies we see that very often one patient arrives who collects local prescriptions, from local friends, neighbors or family and implements them massively to be able to provide these drugs to patients who cannot reach the pharmacy – says the president of the Franchise Pharmacy Association.
– We can talk about real distances that were reported to us by representatives of local governments. An example from Lower Silesia indicates that at night patients have to reach 50 km to Wrocław, to the nearest pharmacy, which is on duty at night. Considering the return transport, it is about 100 km, a one -way trip lasts an hour, it's really a lot – says Dominika Kowalczyk.
At the same time, the closing of POZ facilities in municipal areas is also observed. This additionally intensifies the problem, especially for the elderly.
– We often have problems with access to a doctor, the number of items in regions distant from large cities, unfortunately, decreases, often doctors are older, when they stop practicing, they retire, the pharmacies are even more needed – argues the expert of the coalition “for dependent help”. – Considering that we are an aging society, we are increasingly dealing with the phenomenon of multi -corncy, multi -variety and pharmaceutical review is the most desirable support of the elderly.
On April 14, the Minister of Health Izabela Leszczyny was sent by the coalition “Na Plainless Aid” for equal access to pharmacies as places of supply with medicinal products and medical devices and the provision of pharmaceutical care services. It was signed by 44 signatories, including 33 commune heads and mayors representing a total of over 160,000 citizens and marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodship representing about 2.9 million inhabitants. Parliamentarians and organizations noticing the growing social problem of falling accessibility to pharmacies also joined the appeal.
– We collect signatures, mainly institutional, mainly local governments, but the appeal met with great response to our patients, who reported to us and said: we actually have a problem with the pharmacy, it is very good that you are raising this topic, let's talk about it loudly – says Dominika Kowalczyk.
Signatories propose a change from a pharmacy for a pharmacist to a pharmacy for the patient. On April 1, the Union of Rural Municipalities of the Podlasie Voivodship applied with an independent position in this matter, in which he applies for legislative changes aimed at improving the supply of residents from rural areas. The rural communes of the Podlasie Voivodships make up approx. 500 thousand. residents.
– As the Head of the Perlejewo Commune and other village heads from our province and from other provinces, we are ready to actively participate in this legislative process, consultations, so that these changes also take into account municipalities such as mine, in which pharmacies were liquidated or cannot arise – assures Jakub Wierzbicki.
Signatories propose a change in priorities in legislation regarding the pharmacy market in Poland. They call for systemic actions to facilitate patients' access to pharmacists and pharmacies, preventing health exclusion for the place of residence.
– In my opinion, one should leave from unjustified, such strong quantitative restrictions and consider others. Subject restrictions and those as to the form of business should be abolished – says Mariusz Kisiel.
– You need such changes in the law that will facilitate the creation of pharmacies, and patients access to them, we postulate it. We urge you to always look at what the effects will be, and not just whether the record is correct. Let's pay attention to the effects of our actions, because they, above all, negative ones, reflect on the weakest, dependent and older people – emphasizes Dominika Kowalczyk.
The “naing dependent help” coalition is a relationship of associations that brings together patient organizations, foundations, associations and other entities operating in the healthcare system
