Pharmaceutical Policy Research Group

Pharmaceutical policy is a branch of health policy. It concerns social decision making on pharmaceutical sector and people and organizations around pharmaceuticals. The implementation of pharmaceutical policy reforms should always be evaluated from different perspectives at the beginning of reform and after it has been in force for several years. In the Pharmaceutical Policy Research Group, we study pharmaceutical policy reforms and the realization of their objectives and expectations from key perspectives for reform. We have experience with extensive projects exploring major pharmaceutical policy reforms in Finland, such as the introduction of generic substitution and electronic prescriptions in the 21st century. Our research methodology expertise focuses on the research methods of social sciences, such as various surveys and interview studies. We have research collaboration with key actors in the pharmaceutical sector.

Our research areas:

– The impact of electronic prescriptions on prescribing, dispensing and medication safety
– Medicine users’ experiences of the use and usability of the nationwide patient portal My Kanta
– Medicine users’ and pharmacists’ experiences of the cross-border e-prescriptions
– Prescription renewal, implementation of pharmacotherapy monitoring and the division of responsibilities between the parties involved in pharmacotherapy monitoring
– Medicine availability and shortages
– Generic substitution
– Counselling concerning the generic substitution and interchangeable medicines at pharmacies and physicians’ practices
– Environmentally sustainable pharmaceutical policies.