The Social Affairs Ministry is considering whether to allow self-service pharmacies in Estonia to boost access to common medicines, reducing strain on traditional pharmacies.
The ministry says many communities lack a pharmacy entirely or have only limited hours, leaving patients — including those at nearly 60 family health centers — without local access. The number of working pharmacists is also shrinking, with more than half already over age 50.
Minister of Social Affairs Karmen Joller (Reform) said the aim is to ensure people can get essential medicines even in small communities or after hours — including on weekends.
“A self-service pharmacy would be a practical solution,” she said, noting that customers would still need access to a licensed pharmacist, for example via remote video link.
She noted that a self-service pharmacy pilot in Rapla showed people would gladly use the option.
Under the ministry’s concept, a self-service pharmacy would function as part of a regular community pharmacy. Customers would choose a medicine from the kiosk, identify themselves using their ID card, Mobile-ID or Smart-ID an ID-card, then speak with a pharmacist online.
The pharmacist would check prescriptions, advise on use and approve the purchase before the kiosk dispenses the drug.
The model could offer common over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications in locations where maintaining a full pharmacy isn’t feasible. Such kiosks could also offer access after hours in the evenings, on weekends — and even around the clock.
The legislative intent notes that several issues will require clear legal guidelines, including where such kiosks can operate without undercutting existing pharmacies, what quality standards video consultations must meet and how cybersecurity will be handled.
Which medications can be dispensed via self-service kiosks would also need to be regulated.
Pilot project already a success
Estonia has already tested a limited version of the system. A 2023 pilot in Rapla allowed the self-service pharmacy kiosk to dispense OTC drugs with optional video consultations. The technology worked and customers were eager to use it, but current law restricted the kiosk to existing pharmacy premises and hours, preventing true round-the-clock testing.
A separate proposed change would let pharmacies contract out the preparation of custom-made, or compounded, medications. Today, only about a dozen pharmacies regularly provide compounding services, while others must maintain equipment and space they rarely use.
Under the plan, customers would still pick up their compounded medication from the pharmacy they first visited, but production would shift to properly equipped pharmacies with the proper expertise.
The ministry will decide its next steps once public feedback on the proposals has been reviewed.
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