The Act on electronic prescriptions came into force in Finland at the beginning of April. The first
e-prescriptions will be written out next year when the nationwide data system is ready.

A doctor or dentist will in the future be able to draw up a prescription electronically and transmit it along data networks direct to a national prescription centre. A pharmacy will be able to use the information at the centre to hand over the medicine prescribed for the patient.

The system is advanced because electronic prescriptions that use a centralized data base are not yet in use anywhere else.

The purpose of the Act is to improve patient and medicine safety and make it easier to prescribe and deliver the medicine. The aim is for half the prescriptions to be online in 2010.

The construction and maintenance of the electronic reception centre is the responsibility of the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (KELA), which will also act as the registrar.