Health care quality better in Finland than in the OECD countries in average

The quality of Finnish health care is better than the average of OECD countries, measured by using several indicators. Specialised health care is effective, and the coverage of screening for breast...

Swine flu vaccine for the entire population

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and National Institute for Health and Welfare:

The epidemic is declining as a result of vaccinations

The swine influenza vaccinations have affected the course of the epidemic and relieved the burden of hospitals in Finland. They have ensured the functioning of health care services, protected the...

Minister Risikko: Health equity is an issue of social justice and ethics

"Health equity is an issue of social justice and ethics. It is also an issue of political will and commitment, and especially social and economic policy. The government is taking health promotion...

More support to municipalities for vaccinations

This is an English translation of a press release originally issued in Finnish on 9.11.2009.

The influenza telephone hotline service is extended

This is an English translation of a press release originally issued in Finnish on 9.11.2009.

The aim of the Tobacco Act should be to stop the use of tobacco products

The Government proposes changing the aim of the Act on Measures to Reduce Tobacco Smoking so that it will be to stop the use of tobacco products.  According to the proposal, the display of tobacco...

A proposal for the order of vaccination submitted

The first batch of vaccines intended for the prevention of influenza A(H1N1)v infections will arrive in Finland in October. The Pandemic Coordination Group appointed by the Ministry of Social...

Drug situation has stabilised in Finland

The Finnish drug policy has been successful according to the Drug Policy Report of 2008. There was no further increase in experimenting with drugs or drug use in 2008, and among younger people the...

No influenza epidemic in Finland yet - the instructions are updated

The influenza A (H1N1) virus (so called swine flu) has not yet caused an epidemic in Finland. The epidemic will probably start during the autumn. The disease resembles ordinary seasonal influenza....

Minister Hyssälä appointed a working group to reform the parental leave system

Minister of Social Affairs and Health Liisa Hyssälä has appointed a working group to review the possibilities to reform the system of parental leaves. The reform goals include, among others, more...

The Finnish health care prepares for an extensive epidemic of influenza A (H1N1)

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and National Institute for Health and Welfare inform

The reference price system will reduce medicinal costs by tens of millions of euros

The reference price system for medicines will reduce the medicinal costs in Finland by 40-120 million euros. In addition, the generic substitution regime implemented in 2003 has reduced medicine...

62 confirmed cases of influenza A(H1N1) in Finland

A total of 62 cases of influenza A(H1N1) have been confirmed in Finland. In four cases the infection was contracted in Finland from family members returning from abroad. Also in Europe the number...

Minister Risikko: We must ensure preventive services for children and young people

"It is very important that we have sufficient preventive services especially during an economic recession. Hitting the panic button when it comes to savings in for example guidance centre...

Minister Hyssälä: Easier access to employment for persons with disabilities

The Government proposes establishing a new national Medicines Agency

The main duties of the Finnish Medicines Agency that is to be established are proposed authorisation and supervision tasks in the pharmaceuticals field, research and development, and production and...

Finland to get pre-pandemic influenza A(H1N1) vaccine for the entire population

The production of pre-pandemic influenza A(H1N1) vaccine is about to begin. Last week the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the National Emergency Supply Agency authorised the National...

Two cases of influenza A(H1N1) confirmed in Finland

The first laboratory confirmed cases of influenza A(H1N1) have been discovered in Finland. The patients are two young adults from the Greater Helsinki Area who returned from Mexico on the same...

Influenza hotline open for the public

You can get answers to your questions about influenza A (H1N1) from the telephone information line Ask about influenza. The number of the information line is 0800 02277, and for the moment the...