Starting from October 19, patients in Ukraine will have more opportunities to receive electronic prescriptions without visiting a doctor in person. The Ministry of Health announces important changes in the procedure for obtaining the first electronic prescription, which will simplify patients' access to the necessary medicines.

Previously, patients could receive their first e-prescription without a personal visit to a doctor only in case of acute or chronic diseases. In other cases, a physical visit to a doctor was required to obtain the first e-prescription.

From now on, this requirement is no longer mandatory. This means that even if the first visit to a doctor is made remotely, the doctor can issue an electronic prescription to the patient.

However, there are exceptions for patients receiving substitution maintenance therapy.

The doctor must make his or her decision based on the information provided by the patient about his or her health status, complaints, and medical history. All this data is entered into the electronic healthcare system (EHR) and stored for further control and monitoring.

It is important to note that the doctor's decision to prescribe medicines remotely must comply with industry standards in the field of healthcare approved by the Ministry of Health.

The paper prescription remains valid in the territories where military operations are ongoing and for the prescription of extemporaneous narcotic drugs, i.e. those manufactured in a pharmacy.

The overall goal of these changes is to simplify the procedure for prescribing and dispensing prescription drugs and minimize the risk of self-medication among patients.