Expert calls for pharmacies to take on more medical tasks

Pharmacies should be allowed to take on more health-care duties than giving vaccinations, public health expert Martin Sprenger told ORF, as Austria prepares to allow vaccinations in pharmacies from 2027. The Austrian Medical Chamber has criticised the plan.

Sprenger said pharmacists could take greater responsibility for some prescription medicines, given their training in pharmaceuticals. He also questioned why flu vaccinations would remain excluded from the new rules, calling that an “Austrian compromise”.

He said nursing and therapy professionals should also be able to work more independently, particularly in community-based primary care outside hospitals. These professions could provide many services the health system needs, he said.

Allowing vaccinations in pharmacies alone would not ease pressure on Austria’s health system, Sprenger said. He called for wider changes to be made quickly, arguing that trained professionals beyond doctors could take on more responsibilities.