Medicines wholesale register to be renewed

Fimea’s medicines wholesale register will be renewed. The purpose of the reform work is to build a register that meets the different needs for the use of medicines wholesale data.

The renewal of the register is being prepared by means of a variety of studies and surveys. A feasibility study has already been carried out, and the work is currently continued with a follow-up study aimed at obtaining more detailed information for the procurement of the new system. The actual specification work is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2022 in collaboration with key stakeholders.

Utilisation of the wholesale register data

The wholesale and consumption data on medicines generated by Fimea is a crucial part of the knowledge base for monitoring and providing guidance on the use of medicines and medicinal treatment practices. The wholesale and consumption data are of crucial significance also in terms of preparedness and national security of supply. The data are also utilised in a variety of Fimea’s processes in support of decision-making. Additionally, many operators outside of Fimea, such as healthcare professionals, other authorities, pharmaceutical operators, and suppliers, use the public data available in the register.

Consumption data are published on the Fimea website as well as in the Finnish Statistics on Medicines, an annual joint publication by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) and Fimea, and in the Finres vet joint publication by Fimea, the Finnish Food Authority and the University of Helsinki.

Wholesale data are also submitted, e.g., to the Nordic Health & Welfare Statistics (NOMESCO), the European Antimicrobial Consumption in the EU/ EEA (ESAC-Net) publication by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and the European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) publication by the European Medicines Agency EMA, as well as to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the International Office of Infectious Diseases (OIE).

Key stakeholders involved in the development – a survey to pharmaceutical wholesalers

The participation of pharmaceutical wholesalers in the development of the register has been identified as a key need in the renewal of the wholesale register. We want marketing authorisation holders to be aware of the reform, and they are welcome to ask for more information if needed.

We would like the pharmaceutical wholesalers to respond to the attached Webropol survey and, if they so wish, to register for the renewal work. In early 2022, we will invite wholesalers to discuss their needs and expectations.

Please respond to the survey by 21 December 2021:
Survey for pharmaceutical wholesalers (in Finnish)

Drug consumption statistics on the Fimea website

Finnish Statistics on Medicines on the Kela website

Finres vet reports on the Finnish Food Authority website
 

For further information, please contact:

Follow-up studies and the renewal project:
Harri Nurmi, Development Specialist

Drug consumption statistics:
Tinna Voipio, Research Scientist

Survey technical support:
Milja Piispanen, Project Coordinator

E-mail address format: firstname.lastname@fimea.fi