Self-Service

Bulgaria aims to expand medicine access using vending machines

Bulgaria has amended its Medicinal Products in Human Medicine Act in a way that will allow citizens to obtain medicines that do not require a prescription via vending machines placed outside pharmacies.

Sofia, Bulgaria. Image: Adobe Stock

March 22, 2024

Bulgaria has amended its Medicinal Products in Human Medicine Act in a way that will allow citizens to obtain medicines that do not require a prescription via vending machines placed outside pharmacies, according to a report from euractiv.com.

The country aims to use vending machines as a tool to help underserved populations with medicine access.

Vending machines will be used to distribute items such as pain relievers, fever reducers, heartburn medications, indigestion medications, laxatives, anti-diarrheal items, antihistamines, antiseptics, disinfectants and anti-inflammatory medications, according to the report.

"The changes in the Medicinal Products in Human Medicine Act are an important step towards improving access to medicines in small towns," the Bulgarian health ministry said in a statement quoted by the report. "The owners of pharmacies and drugstores will have the opportunity to register vending machines to be placed in towns and villages where there is no open pharmacy, as well as to work outside the working hours of pharmacies and drugstores in larger cities.

"The problem of access to medicines is complex," the health ministry added. "Deploying drug vending machines cannot be the only solution to the problem. Their main purpose is to benefit patients, especially in remote areas or people in cities during off-hours."