Österreichische Apothekerkammer

What Österreichische Apothekerkammer does

The Österreichische Apothekerkammer is a statutory public law corporation (Körperschaft öffentlichen Rechts) established under the Apothekerkammergesetz BGBl. I Nr. 111/2001, representing more than 7,000 pharmacists across Austria. The chamber coordinates and regulates a nationwide pharmacy network of over 1,470 public pharmacies (each a single-owner business, since corporate chains are prohibited) and 43 hospital pharmacies, collectively employing more than 20,000 people and serving up to 600,000 daily customer contacts with 95% of Austrians reaching a pharmacy in under 10 minutes. Its core operational assets include the ApoApp mobile application launched in 2025 (medication and pharmacy search with personal medication management), the GMP-certified Apothekerlabor pharmaceutical laboratory equipped with a latest-generation mass spectrometer for counterfeit detection, the national AMV-System (Arzneimittelverifikationssystem) for medicine verification under the EU Falsified Medicines Directive, and automated Lagerroboter storage robots deployed across an increasing number of pharmacies.

The chamber is funded through mandatory statutory membership contributions from all registered pharmacists and through fees from continuing education programs including the Aspirantenkurs, Masterprogramm Klinische Pharmazie (co-developed with the University of Vienna), and the Impf-Fortbildung vaccination certification. Individual member pharmacies generate dispensing revenue via the regulated prescription fee (€7.55 per Kassenrezept pack as of January 2025), OTC product sales, compounding services (3 million individually compounded medicines per year), and screening services. The chamber's mandate covers professional representation, postgraduate training coordination, disciplinary proceedings, negotiation of collective agreements with social insurance providers, and advocacy on hybrid healthcare policy in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health (BMSGPK), the BASG, the Dachverband der Sozialversicherungsträger, and Austria's four pharmacy universities (Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck, PMU Salzburg). Recent strategic priorities include the rollout of pharmacist-administered vaccination, structured medication analysis for polypharmacy patients, digital integration with the 1450 health hotline, and expansion of clinical pharmacy credentials.

Name

Österreichische Apothekerkammer

Legal name

Österreichische Apothekerkammer

Website

https://apothekerkammer.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Österreichische Apothekerkammer is a statutory public law corporation representing over 7,000 pharmacists in Austria, coordinating a nationwide network of 1,470+ public pharmacies and 43 hospital pharmacies that serve up to 600,000 daily customer contacts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmacy Professional Chamber and Regulatory Body

NAICS

Administration of Public Health Programs (92312), Public Administration (92)

SIC

Retail-Drug Stores And Proprietary Stores (5912)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail & Community Pharmacies (Chain/Independent) (HLAFALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) & Pharmacy Network Administration (HLAFALAI), Health Policy & Legislation Authorities (HLAJACAA)

Keywords

• Pharmacy professional services
• Pharmaceutical regulation
• Pharmacist representation
• Continuing pharmacy education
• Public pharmacy network

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Statutory membership contributions: As a statutory public corporation (Körperschaft öffentlichen Rechts) established under the Apothekerkammergesetz, the Austrian Pharmacists' Chamber is funded through mandatory membership fees paid by all registered pharmacists in Austria. These contributions fund the chamber's activities including advocacy, professional development, and public health promotion.
2. Continuing education and seminar fees: The chamber organizes seminars, continuing education programs, exams, and other events (including the Aspirantenkurs, APOkongress, and Masterprogramm Klinische Pharmazie) for which participants pay fees.
3. Public pharmacy dispensing revenue (through member pharmacies): Public pharmacies collect prescription fees (€7.55 per prescription pack as of 2025) on behalf of health insurance funds, and generate revenue from dispensing of prescription and over-the-counter medicines. The chamber does not directly collect this revenue but serves as the regulatory and representative body for pharmacies that do.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Statutory public law corporation (Körperschaft öffentlichen Rechts) that represents over 7,000 Austrian pharmacists and oversees a national network of 1,470+ public pharmacies and 43 hospital pharmacies. Provides mandatory professional representation, regulatory oversight, GMP-certified laboratory services through the Apothekerlabor, structured continuing education programs, the Masterprogramm Klinische Pharmazie, and consumer-facing digital tools including the ApoApp mobile application.

Product overview

The Österreichische Apothekerkammer operates a comprehensive pharmacy network and digital services for Austrian healthcare. The core offering includes over 1,470 public pharmacies providing medication supply, pharmaceutical counseling, compounding, testing, and health services; 43 hospital pharmacies serving 270 hospitals; and the ApoApp mobile application enabling medication search, pharmacy locator with duty information, and personal medication management. Supporting services include a GMP-certified pharmaceutical laboratory for quality assurance, oxygen stations for COPD patients, school education programs, and annual continuing education events. The organization represents over 7,000 pharmacists and 20,000 pharmacy employees across Austria.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ApoApp Mobile Application

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 600,000 daily patient consultations conducted by Austrian pharmacists
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gesundheitsberatung 1450coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Starting February 2025, 1450 health hotline staff gained online access to direct callers to the nearest open pharmacy with needed medication in stock. From April 2025, Wiener callers to 1450 can book pharmacy appointments for long-term blood glucose testing, with nationwide rollout to follow. This partnership connects the national health triage service with the pharmacy network for improved patient routing.
• Österreichische Lungenunion (Austrian Lung Union)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Austrian Pharmacists' Chamber and the Österreichische Lungenunion collaborate on the Sauerstofftankstellen (oxygen filling stations) initiative, with 50 pharmacies nationwide offering free oxygen tank refills for COPD patients. Additional filling is available at 5 Vivisol breathing centers. The partnership enhances mobility and quality of life for COPD patients.
• Medizinische Universität Wien (Medical University of Vienna)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Austrian Pharmacists' Chamber is conducting a scientifically supervised pilot project on structured medication analysis (Medikationsanalyse Typ 2a) in collaboration with the Medizinische Universität Wien. The project aims to document the value of structured medication analysis for patients and the healthcare system.
• Dachverband der Sozialversicherungsträger (Dachverband der Sozialversicherung)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Austrian Pharmacists' Chamber collaborates with the Dachverband der Sozialversicherungsträger on the medication analysis pilot project. This partnership is intended to demonstrate the healthcare cost savings and patient outcome improvements achievable through structured pharmacist-led medication review, potentially informing broader coverage by health insurers.
• Postgraduate Center der Universität WiencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Austrian Pharmacists' Chamber and the Postgraduate Center of the University of Vienna co-developed and co-deliver the berufsbegleitendes (work-integrated) Masterprogramm 'Klinische Pharmazie' (Clinical Pharmacy). The chamber contributed to curriculum design, brought in practitioners as lecturers, and is jointly responsible for the program's academic and practical quality standards. The first cohort graduated in 2024/2025.
• Bundesministerium für Soziales, Gesundheit, Pflege und Konsumentenschutz (BMSGPK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe chamber collaborates with the Austrian Federal Ministry of Health on hybrid healthcare models combining digital and physical services. Minister Korinna Schumann has publicly supported the ApoApp and the integration of the 1450 health hotline with pharmacy services. Joint initiatives include digital appointment booking for pharmacy health services and expanded roles for pharmacies in prevention.
• Universität Wien (University of Vienna)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Universität Wien (Faculty of Life Sciences, Pharmacy Centre) is one of four Austrian university locations for pharmacy education. The chamber collaborates with the university on the Masterprogramm Klinische Pharmazie and clinical pharmacy education. University of Vienna pharmaceutical faculty staff also participate in public outreach events at the Apothekerlabor (e.g., Long Night of Research).
• Universität GrazcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversität Graz (Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Institut für pharmazeutische Wissenschaften) is one of four Austrian university locations for pharmacy education (Bachelor and Master). The chamber maintains a relationship with the university for professional development and education coordination.
• Universität InnsbruckcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversität Innsbruck (Fakultät für Chemie und Pharmazie) is one of four Austrian university locations for pharmacy education. The chamber maintains a relationship with the university for professional development and education coordination.
• Paracelsus Medizinische Privatuniversität (PMU) SalzburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Paracelsus Medizinische Privatuniversität in Salzburg offers a Bachelor and Master program in Pharmacy, with 50 places awarded annually through a multi-stage admissions process. The chamber collaborates with PMU on curriculum development and professional education for pharmacists.
• Bundesamt für Sicherheit im Gesundheitswesen (BASG)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThe BASG operates the national AMV-System (medicine verification system) used by all Austrian pharmacies to verify prescription medicines before dispensing under the EU Falsification Medicines Directive. The chamber coordinates with BASG on this regulatory infrastructure and also on the registry of certified mail-order pharmacies (Versandapotheken).

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ABDA – Bundesvereinigung Deutscher Apothekerverbände: The German federal association of pharmacists' associations, structurally and functionally the closest peer to the Österreichische Apothekerkammer. Both are statutory professional bodies representing pharmacists, operating under analogous chamber laws, with similar roles in professional development, advocacy, and pharmacy network coordination.
• Apothekerverband Schweiz (pharmaSuisse): The Swiss pharmacists' association and national professional chamber for pharmacists in Switzerland. Comparable in statutory role, professional development mandate, and representation function to the Austrian chamber.
• Ordre national des pharmaciens (France): The French national order of pharmacists, a statutory body regulating pharmacy practice in France. Comparable mandate of professional registration, discipline, ethics, and practice standards, analogous to the Austrian chamber's role under the Apothekerkammergesetz.
• Royal Pharmaceutical Society: The professional body for pharmacists in Great Britain. Comparable professional development, advocacy, and standards-setting role, with similar scope of representing the pharmacy workforce and shaping pharmacy policy.

Broad incumbents

• American Pharmacists Association (APhA): The largest U.S. professional association of pharmacists. While the U.S. lacks a statutory chamber model, APhA is broadly comparable in professional advocacy, continuing education, and policy influence functions.
• International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP): The global federation of national pharmacy associations. The Österreichische Apothekerkammer maintains international relations through FIP, which represents the same pharmacist constituency globally and shares functions in advocacy and professional standards.

Others

• Bundesamt für Sicherheit im Gesundheitswesen (BASG): Austria's federal office for safety in healthcare, the chamber's primary regulator on medicine verification (AMV-System) and certified mail-order pharmacy registry. Strong operational linkage with the chamber's pharmacy network infrastructure.
• Hauptverband / Dachverband der Sozialversicherungsträger: The umbrella association of Austrian social insurance providers, which negotiates collective agreements with the chamber and is the key counterpart on medication analysis reimbursement pilots. Central counterparty for chamber's pharmacy network revenue model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCa88A80i3PLu-5vVJn3aD6w
• Facebookfacebook.com/apokammer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3944093
• Instagraminstagram.com/apokammer
• Xx.com/apokammer

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Österreichische Apothekerkammer