Piechotta criticizes 'Apotheken-Gaga'

Green Party MP Paula Piechotta has criticised the government’s handling of pandemic funds, accusing former health minister Jens Spahn of mismanagement. She claims his policies allowed widespread abuse, costing taxpayers millions through illegal reselling and exporting of COVID-19 treatments like Paxlovid.

Her demands include legal action to recover lost money and stricter oversight of future healthcare regulations.

Between 2020 and 2022, German pharmacies received over €3.5 billion in extra pandemic-related payments. These included €18 per vaccination certificate, €9 per rapid test, up to €15 per vaccine dose, and around €7.58 for distributing federally funded COVID-19 vaccines. Piechotta argued that Spahn’s flat-rate payment system lacked oversight, rewarding quantity over quality.

In 2022, the Federal Ministry of Health sent a million courses of Paxlovid to pharmacies. Yet around 440,000 were never given to patients. Court cases now reveal illegal reselling and exporting of the drug, with two defendants—a Munich pharmacist and an employee—facing charges for large-scale embezzlement between January and June 2023. Their trial is set for late 2025. Piechotta insists the government must reclaim funds lost to fraud. She also wants new healthcare regulations checked for unintended incentives, ensuring fair treatment across the entire system.

The ongoing trials highlight gaps in pandemic spending controls. Piechotta’s calls for accountability could lead to stricter financial safeguards in future health crises. Taxpayers may yet recover some of the millions lost through illegal pharmacy practices.