Government proposes changes to expand online pharmacy services

Finland’s government has proposed changes to pharmacy legislation aimed at improving online services and securing access to pharmacy services across the country, Yle reported.

The reforms would allow pharmacies to cooperate in providing online services and place collection lockers outside their own municipalities. A collection locker is an automated unit where customers can pick up prescription medicines and other pharmacy products ordered from a pharmacy. Each pharmacy would remain responsible for maintaining its own lockers.

The changes could benefit pharmacies located near the border between two municipalities.

Separate rules for dose dispensing

Prices for over-the-counter medicines could vary between a pharmacy’s online service and its physical outlets. Holders of retail sales permits for over-the-counter medicines would also be given the right to sell their products online.

The legislation would separately recognise the packaging of medicines prepared for dose dispensing. The activity has grown into a large-scale operation independent of pharmacies.

Under the proposed law, dose dispensing would operate through clearly separate units, each with its own permit and person responsible for operations.

“We want pharmacies across the country to have the opportunity, if they wish, to develop new distribution channels and online services, for example,” Social Security Minister Karoliina Partanen said in a government release.

The responsibilities of pharmacies, including supplying medicines and ensuring the success of medication treatments, would also be clarified. Fimea’s regulations already set quality requirements for pharmacies, but legislation has so far been partly lacking in this area.

More flexibility for regional pharmacy services

The government is also proposing changes to the pharmacy licensing system to support the maintenance of a nationwide pharmacy network.

Rules governing branch pharmacies would be revised to better reflect local needs. Most branch pharmacies operate as rights held by a pharmacist, while some are attached as conditions to pharmacy licences to ensure regional access to medicines.

In future, a branch pharmacy could be added to the conditions of a pharmacy licence at a later stage. This would give authorities more flexibility to respond to regional changes in the need for pharmacy services.

Fimea would remain the authority responsible for deciding pharmacy licences.