Medicines | The government wants generic medicines in stores – green light from the Ministry

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health According to (STM), the sale of over-the-counter medicines can be exempted from pharmacies.

Over-the-counter medicines mean medicines that do not require a doctor’s prescription. The most commonly used over-the-counter medications include many pain relievers, heartburn medications, throat pain and congestion medications, and allergy, diarrhea, and constipation medications.

The government outlined in its government program that it wants to liberalize the sale of over-the-counter medicines. The working group led by STM outlines in its memorandum published on Thursday that it is possible under certain conditions.

Part of medicines would require the organization of remote medicine advice.

These preparations are classified in the report into two different groups: medium-risk preparations and high-risk medicines.

Intermediate-level ricin preparations include, among others, some diarrhea and constipation medicines, flu medicines and allergy medicines. The risk medicine classification includes the two most commonly used painkillers, i.e. ibuprofen and paracetamol.

Without medical advice, vitamin and iron preparations, constipation medicines and artificial tears that moisten the eyes could be sold.

Freeing the sale of medicines that require counseling would still require further preparation. More extensive changes should be made to the legislation because, for example, it is currently not possible to implement a centralized remote counseling service. The release of sales of other products could be implemented through distribution channel reform.

Ministerial According to

Pricing could either be completely liberalized or defined according to the maximum prices of the drug tax, the ministry’s press release states. According to the working group, the liberalization of sales should be done in such a way that it promotes price competition and reduces costs for users of medicines. However, pricing should ensure that it does not increase inappropriate use of medicines.

The government plans to present a proposal to the parliament on the matter in the fall of 2025. It is still open what model the liberalization would be in the end.

“Issues that need to be resolved include the organization of telemedicine advice and the entirety of the pharmacy economy”, Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen (kok) says in STM’s announcement.

Another issue to be resolved is taxation.

The ministry’s memorandum states that the liberalization of sales will probably reduce the tax collection received by the state, when part of the pharmacy’s over-the-counter medication sales would be transferred to other sales channels. The pharmacy tax as such would not apply to other sales channels.