Finland – Prescriptions and Medications

What are pharmacies called in Finland, and how do I recognise one?

In Finland, pharmacies go by the name Apteekki in Finnish or Apotek in Swedish. Given that Finland has two official languages, you may encounter either term depending on where in the country you are, but both refer to the same type of licensed establishment providing health and medication services.

The most immediate way to identify a Finnish pharmacy is by its characteristic green cross sign displayed prominently outside. The interior is typically tidy and professionally organised, with medicines kept securely behind the counter. This differs considerably from the self-service drugstore model seen in many other countries — in Finland, all medicines, including a wide variety of over-the-counter items, are sold exclusively through pharmacies.

The layout of an apteekki is designed with both customer privacy and efficiency in mind. Beyond prescription products, pharmacies offer an extensive selection of non-prescription goods such as analgesics, antihistamines, vitamins, cold remedies, and skincare items. All staff members are either qualified pharmacists or trained pharmacy technicians, capable of providing thorough, personalised guidance on medication use and interactions.

The Finnish Medicines Agency, known as Fimea, is the authority responsible for licensing and supervising all pharmacies in Finland. Its remit covers granting pharmacy licences to qualified pharmacists, overseeing pharmacy operations, and issuing guidance on how medicines should be dispensed. Further details about Fimea’s role can be found on Fimea’s official website.

Pharmacies are generally situated in convenient locations — near medical clinics, hospitals, or within shopping centres — making it easy to collect prescriptions immediately after a consultation or as part of your regular routine.

What are pharmacy opening hours in Finland?

Pharmacy hours across Finland differ depending on location. City-centre pharmacies tend to maintain longer opening times, including weekend access in many cases, while pharmacies in smaller towns or rural communities may have more restricted schedules. As a rough indication, many urban pharmacies are open on weekdays from approximately 08:00 until 18:00 or 19:00, with shorter hours on Saturdays and limited or no service on Sundays — though this can vary significantly from one pharmacy to another.

As an illustration, one pharmacy in central Helsinki operates Monday to Friday 08:00–19:00 and Saturday 10:00–17:00, remaining closed on Sundays — a schedule broadly typical of city pharmacies. It is always advisable to confirm exact hours on the pharmacy’s own website or by checking the notice displayed at the entrance, as individual hours do differ.

For urgent medication needs outside of regular hours, Finland ensures that pharmacy services remain accessible around the clock. Every city or region generally has at least one 24-hour pharmacy to handle emergencies. In Helsinki, for example, Yliopiston Apteekki on Mannerheimintie operates continuously, seven days a week, providing essential medicines at any hour.

If you require a pharmacy outside normal business hours, online directories and local healthcare providers can help you locate the nearest round-the-clock option. Many pharmacies also post notices on their doors listing after-hours services in the vicinity, including addresses and contact details. The Finnish Pharmacy Association’s pharmacy finder is a practical resource for identifying the nearest open pharmacy at any given time.

Which medications can I buy over the counter in Finland, and which require a prescription?

In Finland, all medicines — whether prescription-only or available without a prescription — must be purchased from a pharmacy. Certain everyday treatments, such as common painkillers, can be bought freely without a doctor’s authorisation. However, a broad range of medicines is available only on prescription. Antibiotics, for instance, are strictly prescription-only. Newcomers arriving from countries where antibiotics or particular hormonal treatments can be purchased without restriction may find Finland’s rules considerably more limiting.

Non-prescription products available at Finnish pharmacies include pain relief options such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, antihistamines for hay fever and allergies, and basic wound care supplies. Vitamins, skincare products, and cold remedies are also stocked without the need for a prescription. That said, pharmacists may limit the quantities sold at one time and can advise on safe usage.

It is important to understand that Finland does not permit medicines to be sold in supermarkets, petrol stations, or general retail outlets, unlike the practice in many other countries. Every medication — regardless of whether it requires a prescription — must be bought at an apteekki. This means that even products you might pick up from a convenience store elsewhere will require a visit to a Finnish pharmacy.

Some Finnish pharmacies offer online platforms through which customers can order over-the-counter products and prescription items, with options for home delivery or collection in store. These services can reduce waiting times considerably and make managing repeat medications more straightforward. When using any online pharmacy, always verify that it displays the EU common logo for approved online pharmacies, as a substantial proportion of internet medicine sellers operate illegally.

How does the prescription system work in Finland?

Finland’s prescription system is entirely electronic — doctors do not write paper prescriptions under normal circumstances. Paper or telephone prescriptions may be issued in the event of a system failure, but pharmacies will convert these into electronic form. This fully digital approach distinguishes Finland from many countries that continue to rely on physical prescription documents.

Since early 2017, the issuance of all prescriptions electronically has been mandatory throughout Finland. When a doctor prescribes medication, they save an electronic prescription — known as an eResepti — to a centralised national database called the Prescription Centre. This prescription can then be retrieved and dispensed at any pharmacy in the country, giving patients complete freedom to choose where they collect their medicines.

Prescribing rights in Finland extend beyond doctors to include dentists, and certain nurses with the appropriate qualifications also hold limited prescribing authority. Medical and dental students may prescribe medicines, but only for patients under their direct care. This reflects a similar arrangement to that found in countries such as the UK, where the scope of prescribers is defined and regulated by law.

To collect your medication at any Finnish pharmacy, you can present a patient information note provided by your doctor, together with your Kela card or personal identification. Your prescription data is stored in the Reseptikeskus database, part of the broader Kanta Services system, which also records all dispensing activity logged by pharmacies when fulfilling your prescription.

Standard prescriptions in Finland remain valid for two years from the date of issue or renewal. Prescriptions for centrally acting drugs, biological medicines, or narcotics are subject to a shorter validity period of one year. Unlike systems such as Australia’s PBS, where repeat prescriptions are printed on a single paper form, Finland’s electronic system automatically tracks how many doses or repeats remain within the Kanta database.

Prescription renewals can be requested through the My Kanta patient portal, via your regular healthcare provider, or at a pharmacy. A fee may be charged by pharmacies or doctors for processing renewals. The My Kanta portal allows you to review your complete prescription history and manage your medications online, accessible using Finnish online banking credentials or a digital identity card.

How much do prescriptions and medications cost in Finland?

If you are covered by Finnish national health insurance (sairausvakuutus), Kela — the Social Insurance Institution of Finland — contributes towards the cost of many prescription medicines. Reimbursement does not apply to medicines purchased without a prescription. This arrangement is comparable in principle to pharmaceutical benefit schemes in countries such as France or Australia, where eligible patients pay a subsidised share of the cost rather than the full retail price, once specific thresholds have been met.

Reimbursement only becomes available once you have paid past the initial annual deductible. At the start of each calendar year, you must cover the full price of your medicines until this threshold is reached. For 2025, the initial deductible stands at €70.33. Because this figure is now index-linked and revised annually, it is worth checking the Kela website for the most current amount.

Once the deductible has been met, Kela reimburses a portion of the medication cost. The lower special reimbursement rate covers 65% of the medicine’s sale price or reference price. The higher special reimbursement rate covers 100%, though a copayment of €4.50 per purchase still applies at this rate. The higher category is typically reserved for treatments targeting serious chronic conditions.

In 2025, the annual ceiling on out-of-pocket prescription costs is €633.17, rising to €636.12 in 2026. Once you have reached this ceiling, you qualify for an additional reimbursement and need only pay €2.50 per prescription medicine for the remainder of that calendar year. This cap provides meaningful financial protection for those managing ongoing or complex health conditions requiring multiple medications.

Children are not subject to the initial deductible. The deductible begins to apply from the start of the calendar year in which a young person turns 19. This means that medication costs for children begin to attract Kela reimbursement sooner and more immediately under the standard system.

The retail price of any medicine dispensed at a Finnish pharmacy is made up of several components: the wholesale price, the pharmacy’s margin, the prescription dispensing fee as set by the Government Decree on pharmaceutical tariffs, and value added tax. Prescription medicine prices are uniform across all Finnish pharmacies. Prices for over-the-counter products may vary slightly between outlets.

The Pharmaceuticals Pricing Board (Hila), which operates under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, is responsible for determining the reimbursement status of medicines sold in Finland. You can verify whether a particular medicine qualifies for reimbursement using Kela’s Medicinal Products Database.

Will my home-country prescription be accepted in Finland?

A prescription obtained in a country other than those covered by specific exceptions is not valid in Finland. The exceptions are prescriptions written in another Nordic country and EU cross-border prescriptions, both of which are recognised in Finland. If you wish to use an EU cross-border prescription, you must specifically request this type of document from your treating doctor before travelling.

Medication prescribed in another EU or EEA country, or in Switzerland, may be dispensed at a Finnish pharmacy provided that the medicine is licensed for sale in Finland. The prescription must include certain required details, which are outlined on the EU-healthcare.fi website. This cross-border prescription framework is part of the EU’s broader initiative to support continuity of healthcare across member states — similar in spirit to the access that EU residents receive through the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

It is worth noting that electronic prescriptions do not yet function across Nordic borders, though work is underway to introduce this capability. If you are relocating from another Nordic country and hold an electronic prescription, you will need to obtain a printed version or arrange for a Finnish doctor to reissue the prescription in the Finnish system.

If your prescription originates from outside the EU or EEA — for instance from North America, Asia, or Australia — it will not be directly accepted at a Finnish pharmacy. In this situation, the recommended course of action is as follows:

1. Bring a sufficient supply of your medication to cover the period before you are able to consult a Finnish doctor.
2. Register with a local GP or a healthcare centre (terveysasema), or use your employer’s occupational health service if one is available.
3. Bring your previous prescriptions or relevant medical records to your appointment; the Finnish doctor can review these and issue a new Finnish electronic prescription for the same or a clinically equivalent medicine where appropriate.
4. If your medication is not marketed under the same brand name in Finland, ask the doctor or pharmacist to help identify the generic equivalent — the active ingredient will be identical.

When dealing with a long-term condition, bringing your previous prescriptions to the appointment will allow the doctor to take your existing treatment into full consideration. It is also wise to carry both your original prescription and a letter from your doctor explaining your condition and treatment plan when you first arrive in Finland.

Can I bring my medications into Finland?

It is permitted to bring medicines into Finland from abroad for your own personal use, although restrictions do apply. The rules that govern how much you can bring — and under what conditions — depend on both the type of medication involved and the country from which it originates.

You must be able to demonstrate, through a prescription or medical certificate, that the medicine is intended solely for your personal use. It is essential to research any restrictions before travelling with medication to Finland, and equally important to check the rules if you plan to have medicine sent to you by post.

For medicines brought in from an EEA member state or Northern Ireland, you may carry a quantity sufficient for up to one year of personal use. If ordering by post from these same countries, the permitted quantity is reduced to a maximum of three months’ supply.

For medicines arriving from countries outside the EEA — such as the United States, Canada, or countries in Asia and South America — different and potentially stricter limits apply, especially for controlled substances, psychotropic drugs, or narcotics. These are governed by Finnish law as well as relevant international conventions, and carrying documentation from your prescribing physician is strongly advised. If you have any doubt about whether a specific medicine may be brought into Finland, contact Finnish Customs (Tulli) for clarification. Additional guidance is available on the websites of both Fimea and Tulli.

Always transport medicines in their original, labelled packaging and keep your prescription or a supporting letter from your doctor accessible during your journey. The rules surrounding controlled substances are particularly stringent and may require advance approval from Finnish authorities. Consult the Fimea website and Finnish Customs (Tulli) for the latest guidance before you travel, as regulations may be subject to change.

How do expats access prescription medications through health insurance in Finland?

Kela reimburses prescription medicine costs for individuals residing in Finland who are covered by Finnish health insurance. You may also qualify for Kela reimbursement if you are entitled to healthcare in Finland under EU legislation or an applicable international agreement. Eligibility for Kela coverage is generally tied to your residency status and whether you have been registered as a permanent resident in Finland.

Thanks to a standing agreement between Kela and Finnish pharmacies, reimbursements are applied directly at the point of sale. There is no need to submit a separate claim after purchase — the pharmacy checks your reimbursement entitlement with Kela automatically at the time of the transaction, and any applicable subsidy is deducted from your payment on the spot.

If you have not yet registered with Kela — for example, during your initial weeks in Finland or if you are present on a short-term work assignment — you will be required to pay the full retail price for prescription medicines. Medicines purchased from pharmacies outside Finland are also ineligible for Kela reimbursement; the benefit applies exclusively to purchases made at Finnish pharmacies.

Many expats supplement their coverage with private health insurance, either arranged through their employer or taken out independently. Finnish private insurers commonly cover part or all of prescription medicine costs, subject to the terms of the policy. It is important to review whether your insurer requires prescriptions to be issued through public or occupational healthcare rather than private clinics, as this distinction can affect your eligibility for reimbursement. Private policies frequently also require self-care products to be obtained on prescription before they are covered.

From late October 2025, low-income customers will be able to apply for a Kela loan in the form of a credit arrangement to help meet the annual out-of-pocket ceiling for medicine costs. This measure is intended to prevent financial hardship arising from the upfront burden of medication expenses. For up-to-date details on eligibility, visit Kela’s medicine expenses page.

Frequently asked questions about prescriptions and medications in Finland

What should I do if I run out of medication in Finland?

If your prescription medicine runs out, get in touch with a local GP or a healthcare centre (terveysasema) as soon as possible to arrange a renewal. Alternatively, you can request a prescription renewal through the My Kanta portal, through your regular healthcare provider, or directly at a pharmacy. In an urgent situation, attend the nearest hospital emergency department or dial the national health helpline (116 117).

Are brand-name drugs available in Finland, or will I be given a generic?

Finnish pharmacies operate under a generic substitution policy, which means the pharmacist is required to offer you the most cost-effective equivalent available. If you prefer to stick with the brand your doctor prescribed, the pharmacy will honour that choice, though you may pay more if the brand exceeds the reference price. Brand-name medicines are generally obtainable but are not automatically dispensed when a cheaper alternative exists.

Can I find a pharmacist who speaks a language other than Finnish or Swedish?

English is spoken by many pharmacy staff in cities and larger towns, and in some rural areas as well. In major urban centres, you are unlikely to experience significant difficulty communicating in English when visiting an apteekki. While Finnish and Swedish remain the primary working languages, the international nature of many Finnish cities means that language is rarely a serious barrier for expats seeking medication advice or assistance.

What happens to my medication costs in a medical emergency?

If you face a medical emergency, proceed to the nearest hospital emergency department (päivystys). Any medicines administered as part of your inpatient or emergency treatment are incorporated into the overall hospital care costs under the public healthcare system. Should you be given a prescription to take away after your emergency visit, the standard Kela reimbursement arrangements apply at the pharmacy, provided you are covered.

Can I use Finnish electronic prescriptions when travelling abroad?

If you hold a Finnish personal identity code, it is possible to purchase electronically prescribed medicines from other European countries. The medicine must be collected in person at a pharmacy by the individual named on the prescription. Use Kanta.fi to check whether a particular medicine is available for purchase at your destination, and confirm in advance that the cross-border service is operational there before you travel.

How do I find out if my specific medication is reimbursable under the Kela system?

Kela’s Medicinal Products Database provides current information on all medicines, reimbursable emollient creams, and clinical nutrition products sold in Finland. You can search using either the medicine name or its active ingredient. The database is accessible through Kela’s website and will display the current reimbursement category and applicable price information.

Do I need a Finnish personal identity code to use pharmacies and the prescription system?

A Finnish personal identity code (henkilötunnus) is not required to buy over-the-counter medicines. However, accessing the Kela reimbursement system and the My Kanta e-prescription portal does depend on having a Finnish identity number. When collecting prescription medicines, providing your personal identity number enables the pharmacist to retrieve your electronic prescription from the Kanta system. Obtaining a Finnish identity number should therefore be among your first priorities when establishing yourself as a resident in Finland.

Are there any medications commonly available elsewhere that are banned or tightly controlled in Finland?

Yes. A number of medicines sold freely over the counter in other countries — including certain high-strength painkillers, codeine-containing products, and various sleep aids or anxiolytics — are classified as prescription-only or controlled substances in Finland. Pharmacies may also place limits on the quantities of certain OTC medicines that can be sold in a single transaction, in line with guidance from Fimea. If you are uncertain about the status of a particular product in Finland, consult Fimea’s website or speak directly with a Finnish pharmacist before assuming it is freely available.