16.8 Prescriptions

The main way to collect prescription medicine at a pharmacy ("apotek") is with an electronic prescription issued by a doctor. Such a prescription is accessable to all pharmacies in Sweden through a database administered by the Swedish eHealth Agency. When collecting the prescription medicine it is important to let the pharmacist know that the patient, being mission staff registered with the Protocol Department, has a personal identity number that is an immunity number ("immunitetsnummer" and not a "personnummer"), so that the pharmacist can easily find the number via the drop down menu in the database.

Alternatively, it is possible to ask the doctor to print the prescription on a yellow-coloured form and issue it in the original. Using this paper prescription, a patient can collect his or her prescription medicine at any pharmacy in Sweden.

Since the Swedish Tax Agency does not link immunity numbers of family members, as is the case for "personnummer", it is advisable to bring a proof of parenthood, such as a birth certificate, to the pharmacy if the patient is a minor in order to prove that the parent is eligible to collect prescription medicine for the minor.