Estonia Approves 24/7 Robotic Pharmacies in a European First

How it works

The initiative centres on Estonian company Grab2Go. Its co-founders, Mart Viilipus and Reio Orasmäe, ran into rules requiring a pharmacist to be physically present when medication is dispensed, and turned to Accelerate Estonia, a government-backed programme run by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications. Together with the Estonian Medicines Board and the Ministry of Social Affairs, it identified the regulatory changes needed while keeping patients safe.

Customers choose medication on a touchscreen, identify themselves with an ID card or other digital solution, and then speak to a licensed pharmacist by video. The pharmacist reviews the request and authorises dispensing. The robot stores and dispenses products inside a secure steel enclosure open only to authorised staff. In a six-month pilot, no robots malfunctioned, Orasmäe says; getting customers comfortable with digital identification was harder. An 82-year-old woman used the system.

Why it matters

An impact analysis by Accelerate Estonia and PwC points to an ageing workforce: 53 per cent of pharmacists and 43 per cent of pharmaceutical technicians are over 50. Remote pharmacists could serve several locations, and rural areas and islands could gain access to medicines. Accelerate Estonia's head, Olari Püvi, also sees possible relief for emergency healthcare services.

The case also exposed a regulatory catch-22: authorities wanted data before changing the law, but companies could not legally collect it. Accelerate Estonia has since developed an experimentation framework for controlled real-world trials.

Grab2Go aims to act mainly as a technology provider and targets a return on investment of about two to three years for pharmacy operators. The legislation is meant to be technology-neutral, so competitors could build rival systems. According to Püvi, Canada, Sweden, Norway and Austria have shown interest in the approach.