Completely independent pharmacist-owned pharmacies number approximately 15 in Estonia

TALLINN – According to an analysis by public broadcaster ERR, there were altogether 175 pharmacist-owned pharmacies fully compliant with the requirements of the pharmacy reform in Estonia at the end of September, of these, there may be only 15 run by altogether eight pharmacists that are completely independent and compliant, ERR's news portal writes.

According to ERR, even the State Agency of Medicines does not have an official overview of all pharmacies that meet the requirements. Based on official statistics, there are 175 pharmacies that meet requirements, but included in that number are also pharmacist-owned pharmacies that cooperate with pharmacy chains. While these pharmacies are owned by pharmacists, they use the franchise of some pharmacy chain and carry out joint marketing and sales promotion campaigns.

There are altogether eight pharmacists who are running pharmacies independently and without any kind of cooperation. Those pharmacists own altogether 15 pharmacies.

Several pharmacies, where beneficial owners are pharmacists, have either distributed holdings between one another so that nobody owns at least 51 percent, as is demanded by law, or are involved in marketing cooperation with some pharmacy chains, which is why they are not completely independent in their activity. However, in the eyes of the law, the latter are also legitimate pharmacist-owned pharmacies.