New State Medical Professions Act
Hessian pharmacists see membership fees slashed by half this year
Normally, professional associations benefit when they can collect more dues from their members. But now, the Hessian State Chamber of Pharmacists (LAK) is also required to levy fees on pharmacists who are no longer practicing. The challenge? First, they have to track these individuals down.
The change stems from an amendment to the State Medical Professions Act. Previously, mandatory membership in the professional chambers applied only to those "practicing their profession in Hesse." The new wording expands this: membership now includes all physicians, dentists, veterinarians, psychotherapists, and pharmacists who either "practice their profession in Hesse or, if not practicing, have their primary residence there."
While this brings Hesse in line with other German states, the chamber must now identify which retirees and non-practicing professionals live in its jurisdiction. Additionally, the fee schedule must be updated to accommodate this new group. Currently, the lowest quarterly fee for voluntary members stands at €40—likely the maximum that can be reasonably charged to those no longer active in the field. The administrative workload for the chamber's offices is set to grow.
For the current year, the chamber has halved its dues, aiming to reduce existing financial reserves in light of recent legal rulings in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Elsewhere, fees are rising: In Berlin, employed pharmacists have paid €294 annually since last year—a €100 increase. In Saxony, employed members now face €228 in dues, up from €152. While fees in Lower Saxony have remained stable, the Pharmazeutische Zeitung (PZ) has been dropped from the membership package.
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