Andorra Unveils Pharmacy Bill to Cap New Openings and Balance Distribution

The Andorran government has presented a new bill to regulate the pharmacy sector, updating legislation dating back to 1977. Health Minister Helena Mas and head of health resources Carme Pallarés unveiled the proposal on Thursday, aiming to establish clear criteria for new openings while ensuring equitable territorial coverage.

Andorra currently has 57 pharmacies serving 89,058 residents, yielding a ratio of about 70 pharmacies per 100,000 inhabitants—higher than Spain's 47, France's 31, or the OECD average of 28. The government views this as the optimal baseline, with existing pharmacies deemed sufficient to meet national needs.

New pharmacies must meet a population threshold of 2,350 residents per outlet and a minimum distance of 60 metres from others, provided the population criterion is satisfied. Structural requirements include at least 70 square metres, or 90 if including a lab for compounding medicines; these rules will not apply retroactively to current outlets.

The bill seeks to prevent overcrowded areas, particularly in commercial zones like Andorra la Vella, which has 27 pharmacies for 21,496 residents (one per 796 people). Exceptions apply in oversupplied parish seats: new outlets may open beyond 500 metres from saturated zones if in residential areas. Parishes like Encamp (three pharmacies for 11,236 residents), Ordino (one for 5,679), La Massana (three for 12,148), and Sant Julià de Lòria (five for 10,256) could accommodate more under these guidelines.

Online sales will be restricted to over-the-counter medicines only, with prescription drugs barred from promotion or sale on pharmacy websites, though technical details may be provided. Mas emphasised promoting balanced distribution to avoid massified zones or underserved areas.

The proposal, developed with the College of Pharmacists, also covers ownership: companies may operate up to six pharmacies, limited to qualified pharmacists, with bans on incentives or conflicts involving prescribers like doctors or vets.

A sanctions regime targets violations, with fines from €300-€3,000 for minor issues (e.g., poor signage), €3,001-€20,000 for serious ones (e.g., unauthorised online sales), and €20,001-€200,000 for very serious offences (e.g., selling unauthorised drugs), potentially including temporary or permanent closure up to five years. Further regulations on planning, prescriptions, and inspections are due within 6-12 months of enactment.