Repeat prescription online in Germany: renewing regular medication by video

What a repeat prescription is and why a consultation is part of it

A repeat prescription (Folgerezept) is the renewed prescription of a medicine you already take and that has been adjusted by a doctor. The active ingredient is known, the dose tested, the diagnosis confirmed. Precisely for that reason the repeat prescription suits the video consultation so well: the doctor does not have to diagnose anew but to check whether continuing it remains safe.

It is still a medical prescription. Section 48 of the Medicinal Products Act (Arzneimittelgesetz, AMG) permits prescription-only medicines to be dispensed only on a doctor’s prescription, and the professional code requires a medical assessment for it. Section 7(4) of the (Model) Professional Code allows this assessment exclusively via communication media if it is medically justifiable and you have been informed. A prescription without any consultation, for example after a click-through form, does not meet this requirement. That is why at OpenClinic24 a doctor always speaks to you, even if the conversation about stable regular medication takes only a few minutes.

Which medicines can be renewed by video

The decision is made case by case. As a guide: medicines are well suited when their effect and tolerability can be judged from your account and known readings, and when the risk of a short continuation is low.

Medicine group	Usually possible by video	Requirement
Blood pressure medication	yes	current readings, no new symptoms
Thyroid hormone	yes	last TSH value known, stable dose
Contraceptive pill	yes, after questions	blood pressure, smoking, migraine with aura, thrombosis clarified
Acid blockers	yes, time-limited	duration and reason for use known
Allergy medication, steroid nasal spray	yes	known allergy
Asthma inhaler	yes when well controlled	no deterioration, reliever inhaler sufficient
Cholesterol-lowering drugs	yes	laboratory values from the practice available
Antidepressants, stable	case by case	treatment ongoing, no crisis, specialist informed
Anticoagulants	only with current values	INR or kidney values available
Glucose-lowering drugs	case by case	HbA1c and kidney values known

Not possible by video: narcotics under the Narcotics Prescription Ordinance (BtMVV), meaning strong opioids, certain sleeping and sedative drugs and stimulants, because they require a separate narcotics prescription. First prescriptions where an examination is mandatory. Medicines with monitoring requirements without available values. And any prescription where the doctor sees signs of misuse or dependence. In these cases you receive a recommendation where the prescription can be issued safely.

How the repeat prescription works at OpenClinic24

1. Choose “repeat prescription”. You state the active ingredient, strength, dosage, the diagnosis and the date of your last medical check. A photo of the packaging or the old prescription helps avoid confusion.
2. Account and reservation. You create a patient account and add a payment method. €10.72 is reserved (GOÄ no. 1, factor 2.3). Nothing is charged until after the consultation.
3. Video consultation. The doctor asks about tolerability, side effects, other medication and relevant readings. Have your blood pressure readings, laboratory results and medication list ready.
4. Private prescription as PDF. If the prescription is justifiable, the signed private prescription is in your account, together with the GOÄ invoice listing every item.
5. Redeem. At any pharmacy in person or at a mail-order pharmacy. You pay for the medicine there.

What you should not expect: an e-prescription via the telematics infrastructure. The signed PDF is a private prescription, not a gematik e-prescription. For privately insured patients this is the usual route; statutorily insured patients pay for the medicine themselves because private prescriptions are not charged to the insurer.

Redeeming, validity, quantity

A private prescription is customarily redeemed at pharmacies within three months of the date of issue; after that many pharmacies refuse to dispense. The quantity is determined by the doctor. For stable regular medication a pack size for up to three months is usual; larger quantities contradict medical due care because they delay checks.

Under section 2 of the Medicinal Products Prescription Ordinance (AMVV) the prescription carries all mandatory details: name, address and professional title of the prescriber, date of issue, your name and date of birth, the medicine with active ingredient, strength, dosage form and quantity, the dosage instruction and the signature. If a detail is missing the pharmacy may not dispense; so make sure your questionnaire entries are complete.

For mail-order pharmacies you upload the PDF during the ordering process. Some require the original to be posted as well; with an electronically signed PDF the original is the file itself. If in doubt, ask before ordering.

Checks remain mandatory: what the video consultation does not replace

A repeat prescription by video is a bridge, not a replacement for medical supervision of your regular medication. Blood pressure, laboratory values, kidney function, thyroid values, blood glucose, ECG or gynaecological screening must be taken at the intervals that apply to your medicine. The doctor will ask in the consultation when the last check took place and will shorten or refuse the prescription if values are overdue.

The Cochrane review on interactive telemedicine shows outcomes for the care of chronic conditions comparable to in-person care when readings are available. Without readings, telemedicine lacks its basis. The sensible approach is therefore the combination: routine checks at your GP, the repeat prescription in between by video when a practice appointment cannot be obtained in time or you are travelling.

Costs and reimbursement

OpenClinic24 works as a private practice. At the request €10.72 is reserved; that is the consultation under GOÄ no. 1 at factor 2.3. Further items can be added if the consultation is more extensive; each appears with code and amount on the invoice, which you see in your account before the charge. You pay for the medicine at the pharmacy at retail price.

Statutory health insurers generally do not reimburse private medical services or privately prescribed medicines. Privately insured people and civil servants with Beihilfe submit the invoice and pharmacy receipt according to their tariff. If your medicine is permanently expensive, the route via your GP with a statutory prescription is worthwhile; the video consultation is then the solution for the gap, not for routine care.

When to go to a practice, when to call emergency services

A practice is the place for all due checks, first prescriptions requiring an examination, narcotics, changes of therapy with new symptoms and care when a chronic condition worsens. Outside surgery hours the on-call service on 116 117 refers you.

Call 112 for acute warning signs while on medication: chest pain, shortness of breath, severe allergic reaction, impaired consciousness, seizure, heavy bleeding. Take your medication list with you or keep it ready in your patient account; it helps the emergency services.

As of October 2026.