Hungary postpones new pharmacy prescription regulations to 2027

The Hungarian government has postponed the implementation of new regulations allowing pharmacists and specialized nurses to prescribe certain medications. Originally scheduled for October 2026, the new decree issued by Health Minister Zsolt Hegedűs pushes the effective date to January 1, 2027.

The delay is intended to ensure sufficient preparation time to maintain patient safety. The policy aims to ease access to medication for patients with chronic illnesses who require continuous therapy, reducing administrative burdens by allowing non-physicians to issue prescriptions under strict conditions.

Under the new rules, pharmacists or nurses may only prescribe subsidized medications if the patient has previously received at least a 120-day supply of the same drug from a doctor within the last six months. The prescription must be issued as an e-prescription, limited to a maximum 30-day supply, and can only be collected by the patient in person. Controlled substances and psychotropic drugs are excluded from this provision. The social security subsidies for these medications will remain identical to those issued by a general practitioner.