Estonia
2012: National Dementia Strategies (diagnosis, treatment and research)
Issues relating to medical treatment
The availability of medicines in general
Prescription drugs are generally reimbursed if they are on the “positive list”. People pay a subscription fee of approx. EUR 3.20 for pharmaceutical drugs reimbursed at 50% and a prescription fee of approx. EUR 1.27 for those reimbursed at a higher level of either 75% or 100%. The Health Insurance Fund pays up to EUR 12.79 for drugs reimbursed at the level of 50% and up to the reference price for those reimbursed at a higher level. The level of 75% reimbursement is increased to 90% for certain groups of people. This includes people who are disabled or retired. Over-the-counter drugs are not generally reimbursed[2].
The availability of Alzheimer treatments
All four AD drugs are authorised for use in Estonia.
Conditions surrounding the prescription and reimbursement of AD drugs
With the exception of Exelon (Donepezil), they are part of the reimbursement system and reimbursed at 50%.
| Prescription and reimbursement | Donepezil | Rivastigmine | Galantamine | Memantine |
| Available | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reimbursed | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Issues relating to research
Estonia is not involved in the EU Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND) or in the Joint Action “Alzheimer Cooperative Valuation in Europe (ALCOVE)”.
[2] European Commission (2012): MISSOC – Mutual information system on social protection : Social protection in the Member States of the European Union, of the European Economic Area and in Switzerland: Comparative tables
Last Updated: Tuesday 14 May 2013
