We want to provide good health services for patients
Incorrect use of medicines is one of the greatest challenges in the healthcare system. One in five emergency hospital admissions is caused by incorrect medication use, and 30–50 percent of people use their medicines incorrectly.
We want to:
- Further develop pharmacy services such as vaccination, inhalation assessment, the New Medicine Service, and multidose dispensing.
- Further develop the Over‑the‑counter assessment scheme.
- Conduct an assessment of which new pharmacy services would provide the greatest value for society and patients, helping to free up capacity in the rest of the healthcare system.
- Enable more patients to receive healthcare directly in pharmacies without needing to contact other parts of the healthcare service first.
We want pharmacies to contribute to the public healthcare
Pharmacies can play an increasingly important role as part of the healthcare frontline and help free up capacity in both municipal and specialist healthcare services. Some tasks can be shifted to pharmacies to support more efficient healthcare delivery.
We want to:
- Ensure that the adult vaccination programme enables vaccines to be administered in pharmacies.
- Ensure that the population can receive all recommended vaccines directly in pharmacies, without a prescription from a doctor.
- Introduce national vaccination remuneration rates that apply regardless of who administers the vaccine.
- Ensure increased involvement of pharmacies in emergency preparedness planning at both municipal and national levels.
- Make better use of pharmacies’ accessibility to reach patient groups that the rest of the healthcare service struggles to reach or follow up.
We want predictable economic conditions for pharmacies
Pharmacies are strictly regulated, and much of their sales are controlled by the authorities. To deliver high‑quality services, pharmacies need stable and predictable economic framework conditions.
We want to:
- Introduce annual inflation adjustments to pharmacies’ fixed fees for the sale of prescription medicines.
- Ensure that government-set prices are not so low that access to generic medicines is weakened.
- Introduce public remuneration rates for new national healthcare services provided in pharmacies.
- Ensure that the economic framework for pharmacies encourages innovation and the development of new pharmacy‑based healthcare services.
We enable good digital solutions
The pharmacy sector in Norway collaborates well. Together, pharmacies have developed and financed common digital solutions and a shared patient record. The sector positive about the development and implementation of national e‑health solutions.
We want to:
- Ensure that authorities finance the development of pharmacy IT systems where functionality is required by government regulations or needs.
- Establish solutions for efficient digital dialogue between pharmacies and general practitioners.
- Safeguard the needs of pharmacies and pharmacy customers in the development and implementation of the National Patient Medication List.
- Ensure that pharmacy interests are properly represented in Norway’s implementation of the European Health Data Space (EHDS).
We work to find good solutions for medicine shortages
Medicine shortages have increased in both scope and frequency in recent years, with potentially serious consequences for patients. Pharmacies spend significant time ensuring that patients receive the treatment they need in shortage situations. Pharmacies can also actively contribute to preparedness plans.
We want to:
- Ensure that patients gain rapid access to medicines during shortage situations, such as foreign‑packed products.
- Enable pharmacists to use their professional expertise to provide good solutions for patients during shortages.
- Ensure that pharmacies’ financial compensation for handling shortages reflects the extra work and risk involved.
- Ensure that pharmacies’ work in managing shortages is recognized and valued by authorities.
We work to ensure pharmacies have access to a qualified workforce
Pharmacies mainly employ pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, who are licensed healthcare professionals. Although the number of pharmacists has increased, there remains a significant need for more pharmaceutical expertise. Regulatory conditions must ensure that the population has access to high‑quality pharmacy services across the country.
We want to:
- Increase the number of applicants to pharmacy studies and the proportion of students who complete the program.
- Ensure that educational institutions train pharmacists to become excellent medicine advisers within the healthcare system.
- Strengthen and further develop the common continuous professional development program for all pharmacy employees.
- Contribute to high‑quality pharmacy services across the entire country.
- Ensure that enough pharmacy technicians are educated and well‑qualified.
We want sustainable pharmacies
The pharmacy sector aims to be a driver for sustainable development and contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Together, we will develop joint initiatives to strengthen sustainability and environmental considerations in pharmacies.
We want to:
- Facilitate the use of pharmacy systems and staff expertise to improve sustainability in pharmacies and pharmacy services.
- Share experiences and knowledge about sustainability in national and international forums.
- Contribute to the responsible use of antibiotics and help limit the development of antimicrobial resistance.
- Ensure that Norwegian regulation supports the ability of pharmacies to comply with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Oslo, January 2026
