Emergency service for 33 million

Why medicines are much more expensive at night

There is a surcharge for medicines in pharmacies between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com - Reese/peopleimages.com)

Have you ever been in a situation where you had to pick up a medicine from the pharmacy at night? If so, you will have noticed that there is a surcharge on the price. We use this night-time surcharge to help finance the pharmacy emergency service. Why is this the case, whether it is necessary and, above all, whether medicines will also be available in drugstores? We have asked.

Drugs in pharmacies cost an extra 3.80 euros between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. and 1.30 euros on Sundays and public holidays during the same period. The price applies per use - i.e. regardless of medication class and quantity. Only those who have certain medical notes such as "exp.noct." - and thus a reference to the urgent dispensing of remedies outside of regular opening hours - on the prescription, the health insurance provider will cover the fees. The rest usually have to pay them themselves. And this is likely to remain the case for the time being.