New Year’s pharmacy chaos leaves patients stranded after website error
Patients in Bad Doberan faced confusion on New Year’s Day after a pharmacy website listed incorrect emergency service details. The issue arose when Aponet, run by the German Pharmacists’ Association, failed to update its records following the sudden closure of a local CVS Pharmacy. Residents arrived at the wrong location, only to find the doors shut and no help available.
The Kamp-Apotheke in Bad Doberan permanently closed on December 28, 2025. Its emergency duties for January 1, 2026, had been reassigned to the Lütten-Klein Apotheke in Rostock. However, Aponet’s website still listed the Kamp-Apotheke as the on-call service for New Year’s Day.
Dr. Lilli Amelung, who owns four pharmacies in the area, discovered the problem when customers gathered outside her closed CVS Pharmacy. They had relied on Aponet’s outdated information. The pharmacy chamber had notified Aponet of the change, but the update was not made in time. As a result, patients in need of urgent medication or advice were left stranded. Many expressed frustration after travelling to the wrong location, unaware of the reassignment.
The incident highlighted gaps in how emergency pharmacy updates are communicated online. Aponet’s delayed correction left residents without access to essential services on a public holiday. Authorities have yet to confirm whether steps will be taken to prevent similar errors in future.
