Working group: The sale of over-the-counter medicines outside pharmacies should be implemented in a controlled and systematic manner

According to a working group appointed by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the sale of some over-the-counter medicines could be expanded outside pharmacies if the change is made in a controlled manner, ensuring medication safety. The change could improve the availability of over-the-counter medicines and reduce the costs of medicines for consumers and society.

The expansion of sales could be implemented either as part of a larger reform of the regulation governing pharmacies or as a separate reform of the distribution channel. According to the working group, a separate reform of the distribution channel should initially be limited to products whose safe use does not require pharmaceutical advice provided at the point of sale. The working group classifies certain most commonly used vitamin and iron preparations, laxatives and eye-moistening artificial tears, for example, as such products.

The sale of products requiring pharmaceutical advice outside pharmacies requires further preparation

The report also lists medicines whose sale requires pharmaceutical advice regardless of the sales channel. The report classifies these products into two groups: medium-risk products and products within the national high-risk medicines classification. 

Medium-risk products include, among others, some antidiarrheals and laxatives, flu medicines and allergy medicines. Products within the high-risk medicines classification, in turn, include both of the most commonly used painkillers; i.e. ibuprofen and paracetamol. 

If pharmaceuticals whose safe use requires pharmaceutical advice from a certified Bachelor or Master of Pharmacy were to be sold outside pharmacies, the practical implementation of the provision of pharmaceutical advice in various sales channels would have to be ensured. This would also require more extensive changes to legislation, as it is currently not possible to implement a centralised remote advice service, for example.

Safe use could also be promoted by providing customers with a concise compilation of key information on the medicine concerned, such as intended use, when not to use the medicine, and when healthcare should be contacted. Risks related to the interaction of medicines would be reduced if the customer’s medication data could be checked from the Prescription Centre in a pharmaceutical advice situation outside the pharmacy as well. 

Pricing should promote price competition

According to the working group, the supervisory authority for new points of sale should be the Finnish Medicines Agency (Fimea), which also supervises pharmacies. This way, all parties involved in the sale, storage and distribution of pharmaceutical products would be known to the same authority and monitored on a uniform basis. 

The pricing of over-the-counter medicines sold outside pharmacies could either be liberalised altogether or determined in accordance with the maximum prices set by the medicine tariff. According to the working group, the chosen model should promote price competition and aim to reduce costs for the users of medicines. However, the most important thing in pricing, too, is to ensure that it does not increase the inappropriate use of medicines.

“In accordance with the Government Programme, the most commonly used over-the-counter medicines will be released for sale outside pharmacies in a considered manner, taking pharmaceutical safety into account. The proposal will be submitted to Parliament in autumn 2025. Political decision-making on its scope and content will be initiated this autumn. As mentioned also in the report, issues to be resolved include the organisation of remote pharmaceutical advice and the pharmacy economy as a whole,” says Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen.

The Government Programme’s objectives include releasing some of the most commonly used over-the-counter medicines for sale outside pharmacies in a considered manner, taking pharmaceutical and medication safety into account. On 24 January 2024, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health appointed a working group to prepare the liberalisation of some of the most commonly used over-the-counter medicines for sale also outside pharmacies. The report drawn up by the working group will be used to support decision-making and further preparation.

Inquiries: 

Lauri Pelkonen, Chief Specialist, tel. +358 295 163 218

Niilo Heinonen, Special Adviser to the Minister of Social Security, tel. +358 295 163 603, 
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