Finnish pharmacies expand vaccination services with over 150 now offering jabs

Over 150 pharmacies across Finland now provide vaccination services, a sharp increase following a 2024 regulatory change that allows pharmacists to administer certain vaccines, Yle reports.

Last year, Finnish pharmacies delivered approximately 26,000 vaccinations, with demand growing for travel-related jabs such as those for viruses, hepatitis, and—with spring approaching—tick-borne encephalitis. The service has proven particularly convenient for commuters; Eetu Räsänen, a pharmacist at Männistö Pharmacy in Kuopio, noted that workers passing through the city have used the service during their trips.

The Pharmaceutical Association of Finland expects the number of vaccinating pharmacies to keep rising. The sector is pushing to expand its role in public health, proposing to distribute municipal flu vaccines as early as next autumn—provided regional wellbeing services authorities agree. “We’re ready, but it requires political will and coordination,” Räsänen said.

Yet financial pressures threaten the model. New drug pricing regulations will cut pharmacy margins by €36 million annually, jeopardising viability for many. A government-commissioned study, led by the University of Eastern Finland, is exploring alternative funding models and international best practices to secure pharmacies’ future. Findings will inform the 2027 government programme, aiming to diversify revenue beyond drug sales and integrate pharmacies more deeply into healthcare delivery.

Inka Puumalainen, the association’s pharmaceutical director, argued that low-threshold health services—especially in underserved areas—could be efficiently channelled through pharmacies. “We need a national framework, funding, and structures to make this sustainable,” she said.