Directive 2011/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

Article 11 U.K. Recognition of prescriptions issued in another Member State

1. If a medicinal product is authorised to be marketed on their territory, in accordance with Directive 2001/83/EC or Regulation (EC) No 726/2004, Member States shall ensure that prescriptions issued for such a product in another Member State for a named patient can be dispensed on their territory in compliance with their national legislation in force, and that any restrictions on recognition of individual prescriptions are prohibited unless such restrictions are:

(a) limited to what is necessary and proportionate to safeguard human health, and non-discriminatory; or

(b) based on legitimate and justified doubts about the authenticity, content or comprehensibility of an individual prescription.

The recognition of such prescriptions shall not affect national rules governing prescribing and dispensing, if those rules are compatible with Union law, including generic or other substitution. The recognition of prescriptions shall not affect the rules on reimbursement of medicinal products. Reimbursement of costs of medicinal products is covered by Chapter III of this Directive.

In particular, the recognition of prescriptions shall not affect a pharmacist’s right, by virtue of national rules, to refuse, for ethical reasons, to dispense a product that was prescribed in another Member State, where the pharmacist would have the right to refuse to dispense, had the prescription been issued in the Member State of affiliation.

The Member State of affiliation shall take all necessary measures, in addition to the recognition of the prescription, in order to ensure continuity of treatment in cases where a prescription is issued in the Member State of treatment for medicinal products or medical devices available in the Member State of affiliation and where dispensing is sought in the Member State of affiliation.

This paragraph shall also apply to medical devices that are legally placed on the market in the respective Member State.

2. In order to facilitate implementation of paragraph 1, the Commission shall adopt:

(a) measures enabling a health professional to verify the authenticity of the prescription and whether the prescription was issued in another Member State by a member of a regulated health profession who is legally entitled to do so through developing a non-exhaustive list of elements to be included in the prescriptions and which must be clearly identifiable in all prescription formats, including elements to facilitate, if needed, contact between the prescribing party and the dispensing party in order to contribute to a complete understanding of the treatment, in due respect of data protection;

(b) guidelines supporting the Member States in developing the interoperability of ePrescriptions;

(c) measures to facilitate the correct identification of medicinal products or medical devices prescribed in one Member State and dispensed in another, including measures to address patient safety concerns in relation to their substitution in cross border healthcare where the legislation of the dispensing Member State permits such substitution. The Commission shall consider, inter alia, using the International Non-proprietary Name and the dosage of medicinal products;

(d) measures to facilitate the comprehensibility of the information to patients concerning the prescription and the instructions included on the use of the product, including an indication of active substance and dosage.

Measures referred in point (a) shall be adopted by the Commission no later than 25 December 2012 and measures in points (c) and (d) shall be adopted by the Commission no later than 25 October 2012.

3. The measures and guidelines referred to in points (a) to (d) of paragraph 2 shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure referred to in Article 16(2).

4. In adopting measures or guidelines under paragraph 2, the Commission shall have regard to the proportionality of any costs of compliance with, as well as the likely benefits of, the measures or guidelines.

5. For the purpose of paragraph 1, the Commission shall also adopt, by means of delegated acts in accordance with Article 17 and subject to the conditions of Articles 18 and 19 and no later than 25 October 2012 measures to exclude specific categories of medicinal products or medical devices from the recognition of prescriptions provided for under this Article, where necessary in order to safeguard public health.

6. Paragraph 1 shall not apply to medicinal products subject to special medical prescription provided for in Article 71(2) of Directive 2001/83/EC.