The Green Prescription

Non-prescription medicinal products (OTC medicines) are an essential element of health care as they are efficient and safe to use. In 2004 it was decided to remove OTC medicines from the catalogue of services of the German statutory reimbursement scheme. Yet, through the then introduced Green Prescription, doctors still have an instrument to prescribe OTC medicines.  Patients can have that prescription filled at a pharmacy.

Support for the patient

For the patient, a recommendation via a green prescription is associated with a signal that the physician considers the use of the medicinal products as medically necessary.

At the same time, the green prescription serves as a memory aid for the patient. This is because on the green prescription the physician notes all necessary information, including the name of the medicinal product, the pharmaceutical form and the package size. In addition, the green prescription, together with the purchase receipt, can be submitted together with the tax declaration as a voucher of so-called “extraordinary expenses”.

Some statutory health insurances partially reimburse medicinal products upon green prescription in the framework of so-called optional benefits.  

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Figures concerning the green prescription

The success of the Green Prescription is also demonstrated by the following figures: Doctors issued more than 40 million prescriptions for over-the-counter medicines on green prescriptions in 2022. This corresponds to around 1/3 of all over-the-counter medicines prescribed by doctors.

The top 5 indications for over-the-counter medicines prescribed by doctors on green prescriptions are

1. Stomach and digestive aids
2. minerals
3. laxatives
4. Cough remedies
5. Cold remedies and remedies for flu-like infections

Sources: Pharma Deutschland / BAH

What is Pharma Deutschland's position on self-medication?

Pharma Deutschland is committed to raising awareness of the value of over-the-counter medicines among people, politicians and the public. It is fully committed to the supply of medicines by independent, owner-managed pharmacies and to the fundamental obligation to have a pharmacy. Self-medication with over-the-counter medicines has an important function for the self-determined patient and the exercise of personal responsibility in society. Medical advice from doctors and pharmacists is of particular importance in this context. Any trivialization or trivialization of over-the-counter medicines must be clearly opposed.

Pharma Deutschland is committed to the active and targeted promotion of pharmacy-assisted self-medication and is available to politicians and partners in the healthcare system with its expertise. After all, the potential for greater personal responsibility and safe self-medication can only be developed in a comprehensive discourse. Self-medication is an indispensable factor for safe healthcare in the future.