About the recommendation

Who is this recommendation for?

• This recommendation is for everybody undergoing long-term treatment with prescription medicines, such as medications used to treat high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes or other long-term conditions.
• It is for everybody who uses consumable items prescribed by the healthcare and medical services, such as equipment for monitoring blood glucose levels.

Does the recommendation affect the high-cost threshold for medicines?

The high-cost threshold for medicines works in the same way as before and is not affected by the recommendation.

• If you are eligible for 3 months' supply at a time, your next issue will be after 2 months.
• If you are only eligible for 1 month's supply at a time, your next issue will be after 20 days.

In some cases, it will not be possible to follow the recommendation

• When medicines are prescribed in such a way that it is not possible to collect them 1 month in advance.
• If the medicines or consumable items are difficult to store at home.
• If the products are temporarily out of stock, you may be able to collect earlier next time, if your prescription allows you to.

This recommendation does not apply to

• Non-prescription medicines and consumable items,
• medicines for short-term treatment,
• medicines or dosages that are under trial and may be changed,
• medicines that are prescribed in such a way that they cannot be collected until after a certain time for medical reasons,
• medicines that are pre-packed in a bag for each dose and sometimes with several medicines to be taken at the same time (dose-packed),
• foodstuffs prescribed on prescription.

Make sure you don't have to interrupt your treatment

There may be times when everyone in society needs to be prepared, and supplies of medicines or consumable items may run out. To avoid having to interrupt your treatment, it is a good idea to have enough medicine for one month at home.

Here's how to have enough medicine for one month:

1. Check how much you have available at home. One month's supply is enough.
2. If you have less than one month's supply, collect well in advance next time so that you have enough medicine for one month.
3. Now you are prepared! Always use the oldest medicine first.

One month is sufficient

Do not collect any more medicine if you already have one month's supply at home. Remember that there should be enough medicines for everyone who needs them.

Download the information: Brief facts about the recommendation to keep one month’s supply of medicines at home (pdf).

Do you have any questions?

Welcome to contact us by e-mail: egenberedskap_lakemedel@socialstyrelsen.se.