Equitable Access to Medicines Across Europe: The Role of Digital Solution

Access to medicines is a fundamental right enshrined in European and global health policies. Despite significant advancements in healthcare across Europe, disparities in availability and accessibility of medicines persist, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations and remote/rural regions. These disparities have been further exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting systemic challenges in supply chains and healthcare infrastructure. Digital health solutions present a transformative opportunity to bridge these gaps.

The possibility for patients across Europe to access digital health services, such as remote consultations or online order and home delivery of medicines, can enhance availability and accessibility of medicines, as well as transparency of prices, thus fostering equitable access to healthcare in all countries. These are well-established practices in 8 EU Member States: Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Portugal, Lithuania, and Estonia all enable their patients to make full use of these innovative solutions. However, realising the potential of digital solutions for all patients in Europe requires a harmonised policy framework, cross-border collaboration, and breaking the barriers that still stifle their adoption.

This event, hosted by MEP Kristian Vigenin (S&D, Bulgaria) in collaboration with the OnHOME Alliance, aims to foster dialogue among policymakers, healthcare professionals, patient representatives, and industry stakeholders on advancing equitable access to medicines through digital innovation. The ongoing revision of the General Pharmaceutical Legislation (GPL) provides a once in a generation opportunity to address inequitable patient access, address medicine shortages, and to empower healthcare providers across all Member States to offer additional patient services through digitalisation and innovative means.

Agenda to be updated soon.


The OnHOME Alliance, comrising of 21 members, has the objective to enable patients throughout Europe to receive their prescription medicines online. 8 Member States have provided this benefit for many years now, leaving 19 that do not. The Alliance aims to remove such inequality so that all patients throughout the EU may have the convenience and efficiency of a safe and secure way of receiving prescription medicines directly to their home or delivery address of their choice.