As the year 2021 is drawing to a close and the new year is just around the corner, it is time to take a look at what the ongoing year has brought regulation-wise to the health technology sector and what is yet to come during the following year.

The Government has given a bill to the Parliament to amend the Finnish Health Insurance Act and the Finnish Occupational Health Care Act, the purpose of which is to improve the possibilities to intervene in prolonged disabilities to work earlier than at present.

In the summer of 2011, the Finnish National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (herein ’Valvira’) set a general prohibition for the manufacturer of tobacco products to inform consumers of changes in tobacco product packaging.

As part of the EU's aim to create a stronger European Health Union, the European Commission ("Commission") published a Pharmaceutical Strategy for the EU ("Strategy") in November 2020.

The Council of the European Union, the European Parliament and the European Commission have agreed on a temporary recovery instrument, Next Generation EU ("NGEU"), to stimulate the European economy after the COVID-19 crisis.

The President of Finland has on 13 January 2006 ratified the Act amending the Medicines Act</P> <P>(395/1987), thus completing the pharmaceuticals legislation reform.

The map of European pricing and reimbursement systems is quite complex.