Poland has received the consent of the European Commission to launch a cross-border e-prescription exchange service with other Member States, the Ministry of Health reports. What does this mean for patients?
This new feature will allow foreign patients to write electronic prescriptions in a Polish pharmacy, and Polish patients abroad. As emphasized in the announcement of the Ministry of Health, the consent of the European Commission is the first step to enable Poles to comply with their regulations in other EU countries (Finland), and EU residents (Estonia, Croatia, Portugal and Finland) to use this solution in our country.
When will the cross-border e-prescription be operational?
According to the Ministry of Health, “we have further actions to be taken, consisting in agreeing on organizational details with the member countries with which we will exchange electronic prescriptions, as well as connecting Polish pharmacies to the IT system. Completion of this stage will ensure the exchange of electronic prescriptions and the possibility of their implementation in selected pharmacies in some EU countries. As more countries join the program, the scale of implementation of such a requirement will expand.” The ministry does not indicate a specific date when cross-border e-prescriptions can actually be issued in Poland.
What is a cross-border electronic prescription?
A cross-border ePrescription is a term used to refer to an electronic prescription that can be issued in a country other than the one in which it was issued. It is provided for full payment and can be issued for ready-made medicines with the accessibility category “Rp” (issued by a doctor’s prescription) or “OTC” (issued without a doctor’s prescription), reimbursable and non-reimbursable medicines. As indicated in the message of the Ministry of Health, issuance of a cross-border electronic prescription for psychotropic drugs, narcotic drugs, prescription drugs, drugs with the Rpz accessibility category (if there is a doctor’s prescription for limited use), food products for special food purposes and medical devices.
Source: Wprost
