Pharmacy vending machines to fall under Competition Authority control
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications wants to add a post-implementation review clause to the pharmacy vending machine bill, with the Competition Authority tasked with carrying out the review.
The Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs sees concerns with the current bill regarding competition and data protection. The Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications (MKM) believe limits on the number of pharmacy vending machines will address concerns about monopolization.
Mari Amos, head of the health system development department at the Ministry of Social Affairs, said that in towns and cities with at least 4,000 residents, each pharmacy would be allowed to operate only one vending machine, to prevent physical pharmacies from being replaced by machines.
"In smaller towns, each pharmacy operator may set up as many as four pharmacy vending machines. A machine also cannot be placed right outside another pharmacy — it must be at least one kilometer away from an existing pharmacy — so as not to create unfair competition where one operator has a full-service pharmacy and another puts a vending machine in front of it," Amos said.
Rebeka Neitsov, public policy lead at MKM's Accelerate Estonia, said the bill is not intended to reshape the existing pharmacy network, but rather to place pharmacy vending machines where they are needed most.
"The best approach is to involve the Competition Authority in the post-implementation review, as this will help mitigate the risks," Neitsov said.
The technical operation of a pharmacy vending machine was tested several years ago in Rapla, including video consultations. The experience gained from the trial was also used to make improvements to the machine's development. Data protection will be ensured in the same way it is now, Amos said.
"A pharmacy vending machine will have the status of a branch pharmacy. It is a type of pharmacy, meaning all the standards, restrictions and obligations will also apply to vending machines and all software security measures must be the same as in a conventional brick-and-mortar pharmacy. Anyone operating one of these machines will have to take that into account. The State Agency of Medicines will oversee compliance," Amos said.
Video consultations at the machines will be provided by pharmacists who are already employed at pharmacies. How their working hours are divided will be up to the operator installing the machine. Amos said pharmacists need not fear layoffs, as Estonia continues to face a shortage of pharmacists. The bill's sponsors, however, want to move quickly with the pharmacy vending machine legislation.
"The deadline is the elections. The bill needs to be passed before then, while the current Riigikogu is still in office," Amos said.
ERR News reported in June that Estonia is planning to introduce pharmacy vending machines that would dispense both over-the-counter and prescription medicines.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski, Mari Peegel
