ePrescriptions from the following countries are accepted at Finnish pharmacies:
- Spain
- Croatia
- Portugal
- Poland
- Czechia
- Estonia.
More European countries will join the service at a later date. Information on new countries will be updated on this page as more countries are added to the service.
Dispensing prescription
- Foreign customers are identified at the pharmacy with photo ID before their medicine is dispensed.
- Inform the customer about the processing of their data in Finland. The current patient information notices, i.e. the issued information and its translations, are available on the European Commission’s website (ec.europa.eu)(opens new window).
- If you cannot find the prescription, make sure that the client has given their consent to sharing their prescription data abroad. Consent is not required in all countries. Check which countries require consent under Country-specific differences.
- The dispensing of a European ePrescription cannot be corrected or cancelled in the pharmacy system.
Electronic prescriptions are retrieved in Finland from another country and the dispensing data is then sent to the other country via the national contact points. The national contact points are responsible for ensuring that only prescriptions that are acceptable for the country of origin to dispense are forwarded to other European countries.
Obstacles to dispensing a prescription
A foreign prescription cannot be dispensed in Finland if the prescription is for
- narcotics
- a CNS medicinal product requiring an original prescription to be stored, classified as PA or ZA in the Pharmaceutical Database
- a medicine prepared by the pharmacy
- a combination package containing several different preparations.
Acting on behalf of another person
It is not possible to act on behalf of another person, as the relevant information cannot be transmitted electronically between different countries. If a minor is with their guardians at the pharmacy, it is usually possible to manage their affairs. However, there are country-specific differences in the transfer of prescription data of a minor. You can check these under Country-specific differences.
You can only apply for reimbursements for medicines retrospectively
For the time being, direct reimbursement is not possible for medicines purchased from a Finnish pharmacy with a foreign ePrescription. The client must apply for any reimbursement for medicines retrospectively, either in their country of residence or from Kela, depending on the situation. Read more about applying for reimbursement for medicines purchased in Finland (eu-healthcare.fi)(opens new window).
For the purpose of applying for reimbursement, give the client
- a receipt for the purchase
- a printout of the pdf version of the prescription
- an invoice for the purchased medicines, if the client intends to claim reimbursement from Kela.
There are country-specific differences in how ePrescriptions are dispensed
The specific features of the countries involved are described below. There may also be other country-specific restrictions on dispensing prescriptions abroad.
Croatia
- Information on the Electronic Cross-border Prescription in Croatian (pdf)(opens new window)
- The customer must consent to the release of prescription details abroad through the Croatian Health Portal. Persons over 16 years of age can give this consent.
- The customer is identified by a photo ID card (europa.eu)(opens new window). In addition, they must show a health insurance card. You can check the link below to see which Croatian identity documents are accepted.
- When collecting prescriptions, the customer must provide a 9-character insurance code (MBO) from the health insurance card.
- Prescriptions are valid for 15 days. Prescriptions containing psychotropic substances are valid for 5 days and prescriptions for antibiotics for 3 days.
Czechia
- Information for customers in Czech (pdf)(opens new window)
- The customer’s identity will be verified from their passport (europa.eu)(opens new window) or identity card (europa.eu)(opens new window).
- The passport or identity card number must be provided when collecting a prescription. A 12-character prescription code is also required. The code can also be read using a QR code.
- No consent to prescribe medicines abroad is required.
- As a rule, prescriptions are valid for 14 days, but a doctor can extend the period of validity up to a maximum of one year.
- Prescriptions marked "urgent treatment" are only valid for one day from the date on which the prescription was issued.
- Medicines are prescribed by trade name.
- Opioid prescriptions cannot be issued to a foreign country.
- A prescription can only be dispensed once. If the customer requires more medication after the prescription has been dispensed, they should request a new prescription.
- The customer must be a Czech citizen or have a permanent address in the Czechia.
Estonia
- Information on the Electronic Cross-border Prescription in Estonian (pdf)(opens new window)
- The identity of the customer is confirmed with a passport (europa.eu)(opens new window) or ID card (europa.eu)(opens new window). You can check the links below to see which Estonian identity documents are accepted.
- An Estonian personal identity code is provided when the prescription is requested to be dispensed. The person must have Estonian citizenship or residence permit in Estonia as well as an Estonian address. If the address of record is not in Estonia, the prescription cannot be dispensed.
- No consent is required, but the citizen can refuse sending of prescription data overseas.
- As a rule, prescriptions are issued with a generic name, and the reason for using the commercial name must be given on the prescription.
- Unless the doctor has limited the duration of the prescription validity, prescriptions are valid for 60 days and after renewal for 180 days. The majority of prescriptions issued for continuous medication are valid for 180 days. Prescriptions for drug preparations are valid for 30 days.
- Prescriptions for narcotics cannot be dispensed in Finland. In addition, due to country-specific restrictions with Estonia, it is not possible to dispense certain psychotropic preparations.
- A saved dispensing event cannot be rectified or invalidated retrospectively. The patient can contact the doctor and request a new prescription.
- There are not restrictions concerning the processing of prescription data of an underage person.
Lithuania
- Information in Lithuanian (pdf)(opens new window)
- The identity of the customer is confirmed with a passport (europa.eu)(opens new window) or ID card (europa.eu)(opens new window). When collecting prescriptions, the customer must provide a 11-character personal identity code. You can check the links below to see which Lithuanian identity documents are accepted.
- The citizen can refuse sending of prescription data overseas through the Lithuanian Health Portal.
- As a rule, prescriptions are valid for 30 days. Prescriptions for continuous medication are valid for 180 days and prescriptions for long-term medication are valid for 360 days.
- The size or quantity of packages is expressed by factor N in the prescription’s additional information field. For example, 3 ml N5 means 5 syringes of 3 ml each.
- Prescriptions are issued with a generic name.
- There are not restrictions concerning the processing of prescription data of an underage person.
Poland
- Information on the Electronic Cross-border Prescription in Polish (pdf)(opens new window)
- The customer must consent to the release of prescription details abroad through the Polish patient's online account (https://pacjent.gov.pl/).
- The customer is identified by a passport (europa.eu)(opens new window) or an identity card with a photo (europa.eu)(opens new window). You can check the links below to see which Polish identity documents are accepted.
- When collecting an e-prescription, the customer's Personal ID Number is provided (PESEL).
- Cross-border e-prescriptions can be dispensed only by adults (18+).
- Cross-border e-prescriptions validity:
- A standard prescription for normal medicines and OTC medicines: 30 days
- A prescription for immunological medicines: 120 day
-
A prescription for antibiotics: 7 days
- Due to national restrictions in Poland,
- it is not permitted to dispense psychotropic medicines, central nervous system agents, and medicines which are prepared extemporaneously at the pharmacy; and
- the prescribed and delivered products cannot have different ATC codes.
- Cross-border e-prescriptions are normally provided with a brand name.
Portugal
- Information on the Electronic Cross-border Prescription in Portuguese (pdf)(opens new window)
- The customer must consent to the release of prescription details abroad through the Portuguese NHS Portal.
- The customer is identified by a passport (europa.eu)(opens new window) or ID card (europa.eu)(opens new window). You can check the links below to see which Portuguese identity documents are accepted.
- When collecting a prescription, the customer's health insurance code is provided. The code can be found on the back of the identity card (NHS patient ID). In addition, the prescription code and dispensation PIN code are provided. They are on the prescription printout or in the customer’s mobile app.
- Prescriptions for acute ailments are valid for 30 days and for long-term ailments for six months.
- Prescriptions are usually issued under a generic name, the use of a trade name must be justified in the prescription.
- There are not restrictions concerning the processing of prescription data of an underage person.
Spain
- Information in Spanish (pdf)(opens new window)
- Clients are identified by means of a health insurance card with a photograph (‘tarjeta sanitaria’ in Spanish, abbreviated as TASA). If the client’s health insurance card does not have a photograph, they must additionally present a passport or photo ID in addition to the health insurance card.
- There are two options for identification, both of which are presented below.
Identification option 1, national identification code
- The national identification code consists of 8 B letters and 8 other characters (a total of 16 characters)
Identification option 2, regional personal identity code + regional identifier
Each region in Spain has a different health insurance card, a regional personal identity code and a regional identifier. For assistance in identifying these, please refer to the table below.
- Regional personal identity code = Código de Identificación Personal Autonómico de la tarjeta sanitaria pública in Spanish, abbreviated as CIPA
- Regional identifier = Código Ide.
Note! Not all regional health insurance cards have a regional identifier. In such cases, the client must be able to provide their regional identifier, otherwise they cannot be identified.
- Please note that the abovementioned identifiers are entered into different fields in different pharmacy systems. Contact your system vendor to ensure the correct course of action.
- The customer does not need to give consent to the disclosure of prescription data for dispensing abroad.
- Spanish prescriptions will not be sent abroad if they are prescribed
- during a private doctor’s appointment
- in a region in Spain, which is not the ‘domicile’ region of the client. Only the prescriptions from the region that issued the client’s health insurance card will be sent abroad.
- Prescriptions can either be generic or indicate trade names.
- Due to country-specific restrictions in Spain, Finnish pharmacies cannot dispense prescriptions that prescribe
- preparations containing more than four compounds (multivitamins)
- medicines that are prepared at the pharmacy (ex tempore)
- vaccines
- non-medicinal products (such as wound care products).
- Prescriptions for medicines for chronic diseases are valid for a year.
- Doctors, nurses, and dentists can prescribe medication.
