New ‘Pharmaceutical Policy 2020’ document being developed

Until now the ‘guidebook' for pharmaceutical policy has been the document titled Pharmaceutical Policy 2010, which was issued in 2003. This focuses on the sound availability of medicines regionally in Finland, maintaining pharmacological safety, the appropriate use of medicines and the transparency of the administrative system.

A crucial aim was also to ensure that "the growth of pharmaceutical costs does not undermine the possibilities for society and citizens to benefit from the best medical treatment available."

Ulla Närhi says that efforts to keep the costs of pharmaceuticals at a reasonable level have succeeded. The method of exchanging pricier brands of medicines for cheaper, often generic, ones and the system of reference pricing have brought about savings for people using medicines and for society.

The administration of pharmaceutical service has been reformed and the expertise of the pharmaceutical sector has been brought together in the new Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea. Pharmaceutical safety in Finland is considered good.

"Research shows that medicines are not always used appropriately. New ways need to be sought to improve the outcome of pharmaceutical service", says Närhi.

There is a network of some 850 pharmacy branches in Finland, which have maintained a generally good level of pharmaceutical availability. Reforms to the local government sector, which in some instances have seen the creation of municipal groupings in order to combine services, have not adversely affected the numbers of pharmacy licenses issued.

The MSAH is now drafting changes to legislation designed to ensure that the good level of availability of pharmaceuticals regionally is retained in the future.

Finland has not opted for making over the counter self-medication pharmaceuticals available in shops and other outlets. Ulla Närhi says that the reason is to do with issues of public health and maintaining pharmacological safety.

"There are no self-medication medicines that are completely harmless, not even regular aspirin. If medicines are available from petrol stations and shops, there will be no control over their use. We want to keep the sales of medicines in the hands of professionals, who can also offer guidance on their use."

Närhi points out that although consumers can buy over-the-counter medicines without specialist guidance, they can always consult their pharmacy should they have any problems.

"In other parts of Europe there are various practices, and in some countries you can buy medicines in shops and some pharmacies sell all lot of things besides medicines. We want pharmacies in Finland to remain the sales points for medicines and the places where information on medicines is given."

Patient welfare

Ulla Närhi explains that Finland's new Pharmaceutical Policy 2020 defines and delineates the core policy principles on the issue as an aspect of social and health policy. "The most important aim is patient welfare", she says.

"Special attention is paid to the safety and appropriateness of pharmaceutical service. The introduction of electronic prescriptions is a good aid in reaching for sensible pharmaceutical service. The same goes for ensuring patients' adherence to their own treatment, which must be supported."

Issues concerning pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical service are being included in the MSAH's Pharmaceutical Policy 2020 in order to ensure that the expertise concerning medicines becomes a more integral part of the social and health care system. The strategic aspects of pharmaceutical policy lines are being carried out in steering and drafting working groups for the Pharmaceutical Policy 2020 document. These working groups comprise representatives of the main interest groups of the sector, such as Fimea, Kela - the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, THL - the National Institute for Health and Welfare, Valvira - the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health, pharmaceutical trade organisations, pharmaceutical industry, research institutes and patient organisations.

The new 2020 strategy document will be completed by the end of this year.

Merja Moilanen
Translated Mark Waller