Search

3.10.2024 | 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.

1.12.2022 | The Government proposes that the generic substitution of biological medicines by pharmacies be made possible as from 2024. It also proposes that the reference price system could include reference price groups for both original biological medicines and biosimilars.

29.11.2023 | At the beginning of 2023, an amendment to the Decree on Prescribing Medicines entered into force whereby prescriptions for all biological medicines are valid for one year. People using biological medicines should check the validity of their prescriptions with their attending physician or the pharmacy.

1.3.2024 | The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare reported on 29 February that scabies cases have become increasingly common in Finland. On the same day, the Advisory Board on Communicable Diseases, which is appointed by the Government, also discussed at its meeting how to improve the diagnosis and treatment of scabies.

21.1.2019 | An electronic prescription written in Finland can now be used outside Finnish borders, with some limitations. Finland and Estonia are the first countries where this electronic service will be in use. Later, the service is going to be extended to other European countries.

12.4.2022 | Finnish people see the situation in Ukraine as a significant security threat, but everyone has their own way of reacting to the crisis. Older people are more concerned about the situation than young people and young adults. Most people understand the importance of having a sufficient supply of foodstuffs at home, for example, but people living in sparsely populated areas have more empirical knowledge than city residents of other forms of preparedness.

28.12.2023 | The aim is to accelerate and streamline the administration of vaccines and to alleviate the shortage of healthcare personnel. The amendments that are being circulated for comments would allow dentists, senior pharmacists, pharmacists, practical nurses and biomedical laboratory scientists to administer vaccines. The amendments would also make it easier to organise vaccination at pharmacies’ health service points.

22.8.2022 | A recent study by Helsinki Region Environmental Services HSY shows that many people still dispose of their medicines incorrectly. Particularly young people dispose of expired or unused medicines by simply binning them or flushing them down the drain. Older people, on the other hand, most often return such medicines to a pharmacy, which is the correct way. Expired and unused medicines should alw...

16.4.2024 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government has agreed on the General Government Fiscal Plan for 2025–2028. The Government has made decisions that will improve the sustainability of public finances and create conditions for reversing the trend in indebtedness. The decisions aim to safeguard the key factors for future prosperity: employment, security, and knowledge and competence. Fairness has been one of the guiding principles of the decisions.

26.8.2021 | Finns have returned more unused medicines to pharmacies and collection points. Expired and unused medicines should be taken back to the pharmacy, as they burden the environment when flushed down the drain or thrown in trash or they may end up in the wrong hands. The two-week-long Lääkkeetön Itämeri campaign (drug-free Baltic Sea) starts today, on 26 August, when we celebrate the Baltic Sea Day.

9.4.2020 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has decided to extend the validity of a decision made under section 87 of the Emergency Powers Act. The aim is to ensure the availability of medicinal products and the functioning of the distribution chain in Finland in the emergency conditions caused by the novel coronavirus. The content of the decision is the same as of the decision issued by the Ministry on 19 March 2020.

9.3.2023 | Finns are once again actively travelling abroad. Over the years, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has been reminding travellers of things to take into account when travelling abroad to make sure their trip runs as smoothly as possible.

Statsrådets förordning om ändring av bilagan till statsrådets förordning om universitetsexamina och specialiseringsutbil I enlighet med statsrådets beslut ändras bilagan till statsrådets förordning om universitetsexamina och specialiseringsutbil (...

21.1.2021 | Finland holds the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2021. In connection with the Presidency, Finland launched a project at the start of the year entitled ‘World’s smoothest cross-border mobility and daily life through digitalisation'. Its aim is to improve the cross-border mobility and cross-border daily activities of people and businesses by promoting information exchange between public authorities in the Nordic countries.

Valtioneuvoston asetus yliopistojen tutkinnoista ja erikoistumiskoulutuk annetun valtioneuvoston asetuksen liitteen muuttamisesta Valtioneuvoston päätöksen mukaisesti muutetaan yliopistojen tutkinnoista ja erikoistumiskoulutuk annetun valtioneuvos...

16.4.2024 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government has agreed on the General Government Fiscal Plan for 2025–2028. The Government has made decisions that will improve the sustainability of public finances and create conditions for reversing the trend in indebtedness. The decisions aim to safeguard the key factors for future prosperity: employment, security, and knowledge and competence. Fairness has been one of the guiding principles of the decisions.

15.6.2020 | Based on the situational assessment received on Monday 15 June, the Government has determined that the COVID-19 epidemic can be managed using the regular powers of the authorities. In its plenary session today, the Government issued decrees repealing the use of powers under the Emergency Powers Act and announced that the current situation in the country no longer constitutes a state of emergency as referred to in section 3 of the Emergency Powers Act.

16.1.2019 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, together with other authorities and actors, has prepared for the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union (or Brexit). In a vote held on 15 January, the British Parliament rejected the UK withdrawal agreement from the European Union. The result of the vote does not mean an immediate withdrawal without any agreement. Further plans of the United Kingdom are expected to be announced within the next few days.

8.8.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health proposes appropriations of EUR 14.8 billion for the Ministry and its branch of government for 2026. This is about EUR 475 million less than in the 2025 Budget. The funding of wellbeing services counties is not included in the appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government. Instead, it falls under the main title of the Ministry of Finance.

12464/25 ADD 4 RELEX.1 LIMITE FI Euroopan unionin neuvosto Bryssel, (OR. en) Toimielinten välinen asia: 2025/0810 (NLE) 12464/25 ADD 4 LIMITE COLAC 141 SÄÄDÖKSET JA MUUT VÄLINEET Asia: EU/MX/MGA/Liite I/fi 1 LIITE I VOIMASSA OLEVAT TOIMENPITEET SE...