Farmasto

Farmasto gathers all essential medicines data into one shared, authority‑driven online service. By providing a single, reliable access point, it reduces the time spent searching for information and supports a wide range of tasks related to pharmaceutical care and logistics,

Automation and artificial intelligence are increasingly used in healthcare, and digital and remote services are becoming more common. In this evolving environment, reliable data becomes ever more important for decision‑making, guidance, supervision and preparedness. Reliable data also enables meaningful change and supports the development of new solutions.

The medicines data repository provides a trustworthy and high‑quality primary source of information. Its development is part of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s project on medicines and financial base of pharmacies.

The Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government includes goals to improve the cost‑effectiveness of pharmacotherapies and promote evidence‑based prescribing and medicines use, for example by developing pharmaceutical databases and the medicines data repository.

Farmasto is intended for anyone who needs medicines information, for example:

• Medicines users
• Social and healthcare professionals
• Pharmacies and hospital pharmacies
• Animal owners and veterinarians
• Pharmaceutical companies and wholesalers
• Information system providers and health technology companies
• Authorities

Farmasto compiles extensive information on human and veterinary medicines, reimbursable clinical nutritional products and reimbursable basic creams.

The information includes, for example:

• Master data on medicinal products
• Product information
• codes and classifications
• Information on generic substitution
• Reimbursement information
• Prices
• Market introduction and withdrawal notifications
• Information on medicines shortages
• Pharmacovigilance materials
• Medication safety information
• Information on products with special permits

Farmasto will be built in phases. A key objective for 2026 is to develop the infrastructure of the medicines data repository, ensure interoperability, and renew the production of the pharmaceutical database. The projects also aims to develop a unified online search function that combines data from multiple authorities.

• Data is available in one place. Data and information become more accessible to professionals, improving treatment outcomes, medication safety and cost‑effective use of medicines.
• Work becomes smoother and processes faster. Manual and overlapping work decreases. Data transfer and verification are simplified, and reporting becomes automated.
• Data quality and reusability improve. Harmonised processes and quality management ensure that the data is coherent and reliable, and that its lifecycle is better controlled.
• Data‑driven management becomes more efficient. Monitoring the use and costs of medicines becomes easier, supporting procurement, formulary work and the management of supply disruptions.
• New opportunities for development. A shared data platform and open structures enable the development of new tools, services and technologies in both the medicines sector and social and healthcare services.

• The Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea coordinates the development of Farmasto
• Fimea implements the project together with the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela), the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and the Pharmaceuticals Pricing Board (Hila)
• The project is part of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s programme on medicines and pharmacy economy.

The project organisation also includes:

• Tieto Tech Consulting, responsible for building the data platform
• Meltlake, responsible for developing the online service and related user services

Experts from different user groups are also involved. The expert pool assembled by Fimea includes medicines users, professionals in the health and medicines sectors, and representatives of various authorities.

• During the preparation phase, we have gathered users’ expertise and experiences, for example through workshops, interviews and surveys, and by publishing draft reports for comments.
• Practical development work is carried out by a project organisation consisting of experts from Fimea and other organisations participating in the project.
• We consult representatives of the organisations participating in the project at different stages and in different areas of development.
• We organise regular stakeholder events where we share information and give future users an opportunity to ask questions, discuss and express their wishes regarding Farmasto.
• We take part in events and fairs that provide an opportunity for dialogue with different user groups.
• We use the expert pool coordinated by Fimea, for example through surveys and user testing. The pool includes medicines users, professionals in the medicines and health sectors, and representatives of authorities.

The expert pool was assembled by Fimea. Members of the pool helps ensure that the solutions for the medicines data repository and the Farmasto online service genuinely meet users’ needs. The expert pool includes more than 150 people, representing, for example, medicines users, professionals in the pharmaceutical and health sectors, and representatives of various authorities.
 
We involve users in a targeted way, for example through needs assessments, surveys and testing, depending on the development area in question. Members of the expert pool comment on, for example, drafts of online service features, plans for information products, or user interface demos. In February 2026 the expert pool took part in a survey on Fimea’s and Kela’s current medicines search services.

Farmasto will be built in stages. The Farmasto project moved into the development phase at the beginning of 2026, when practical implementation began.

Key objectives for 2026 include:

• building the infrastructure of the medicines data repository and ensuring interoperability
• developing data management processes and services for basic information, coding systems, reimbursement and price information, and generic substitution
• creating a unified medicines search that brings together authorities’ data on, for example, product characteristics, generic substitution, prices and  reimbursement
• renewing the production of the pharmaceutical database
• developing tools related to shortages and preparedness

The development of the medicines data repository and farmasto.fi will continue in 2027 and 2028.

After the project:

• Farmasto will continue as a service for citizens and professionals
• The database and online search function will be further developed as new needs and possibilities develop

Open data from the repository will also be made available for private actors and developers, meaning its impact will be visible across healthcare and medicines sector systems in the coming years.

• We regularly provide updates on new development steps via Fimea’s website and press releases
• You can subscribe to our newsletter (in Finnish and Swedish, instructions are available at the bottom of the page)
• During 2026, Farmasto will join social media – follow us for updates
• You will also find us at medicines and healthcare fairs and events – come and talk to us!

Project manager Piia Rannanheimo is happy to answer your questions on Farmasto. Her contact information is listed on this page.