Pharmacy Industry Faces Skilled Worker Shortage and Role Shifts

The pharmacy industry is struggling to fill vacancies. A shift towards temporary work is happening, and upcoming reforms may change job roles.

, and Administrator

2025 October 18 . 10:00 PM

1 min read

There is a pharmacy store and there is a vehicle in front of it and there is a building in the left... — There is a pharmacy store and there is a vehicle in front of it and there is a building in the left corner.

Pharmacy Industry Faces Skilled Worker Shortage and Role Shifts

Pharmacy industry trends and potential changes in labor laws are causing shifts in job roles and demand. Nadina Martins, a pharmacist based in Frankfurt but living in Portugal, shares insights on these developments.

Martins has been commuting between Germany and Portugal since 2018, taking on roles as a chief representative or filling in for pharmacists on leave. She notes a general shortage of skilled workers in the industry, affecting both pharmacists and pharmaceutical technical assistants (PTA).

The planned pharmacy reform could potentially lead to competition between PTA representatives and pharmacist representatives. However, the current search results do not provide specific information on how this may happen or the labor law status of PTA in the reform. Martins expects fewer permanently employed pharmacists in the future due to the increasing popularity of temporary employment. Despite this, she reports that pharmacist representatives are still in high demand.

The pharmacy industry is facing a shortage of skilled workers and a shift towards temporary employment. The planned pharmacy reform could potentially introduce competition between PTA and pharmacist representatives. Nadina Martins, a pharmacist with experience in both Germany and Portugal, highlights these trends and the ongoing demand for pharmacist representatives.