How to apply for a subsidiary pharmacy licence
To ensure the availability of medicines, a pharmacy licence may lay down special terms on opening hours or on maintaining a subsidiary pharmacy or dispensary (section 40 of the Medicines Act). Keeping a subsidiary pharmacy may thus be an obligation (as a condition for a pharmacy licence) or a right.
Subsidiary pharmacy as a condition
Fimea makes the operation of a subsidiary pharmacy a condition attached to the pharmacy license if the operation of a subsidiary pharmacy is of particular importance in ensuring the availability of medicinal products in its area. The condition set for the pharmacy licence obliges the holder to operate the subsidiary pharmacy in question. If the operation of a subsidiary pharmacy is a condition for the pharmacy licence, the condition is mentioned in the application notice, and you do not need to apply for a subsidiary pharmacy licence separately. In this case, the pharmacy licence matter and the operation of the subsidiary pharmacy will be discussed together and one decision will be issued on them.
Subsidiary pharmacy as a right
If the operation of a subsidiary pharmacy has not been set as a condition for a pharmacy licence, the subsidiary pharmacy licence will be declared open for application with a notice published on the website. In this case, the subsidiary pharmacy licence must be applied for separately, and the matter of the subsidiary pharmacy licence is resolved as a separate matter. You can also apply for a subsidiary pharmacy as a right without applying for a pharmacy under which the subsidiary pharmacy has previously operated. Subsidiary pharmacy as a right can only be applied for by pharmacist applicants.
The Finnish Medicines Agency grants a subsidiary pharmacy licence from several applicants to the pharmacist with the best prerequisites for operating the subsidiary pharmacy, taking into account the location of the pharmacy, other operating conditions and, in the case of a new subsidiary pharmacy licence, plans for organising the subsidiary pharmacy activities.
Further information
- Rosenberg Pirjo, Head of Section, tel. +358295223246