General reimbursement of medicines

Updated 22 May 2018

When citizens in Denmark buy medicine, they receive reimbursement automatically according to the Reimbursement thresholds, when they buy the medicine on prescription at the pharmacy.

You do not need a special grant to obtain general reimbursement, but there could be other conditions that must be met (for example it may be required that you belong to a certain patient group or suffer from a certain disease).

The company that brings the medicine onto the Danish market can apply for general reimbursement to us.

There are three types of general reimbursement:

General reimbursement for prescription-only medicines

When a medicine has general reimbursement it means that all citizens receive reimbursement from the Danish regions. Reimbursement is automatically deducted from the price charged at the pharmacy.

These medicinal products are marked with the symbol (circle) on medicinpriser.dk.

Conditional reimbursement for prescription-only medicines

Here, reimbursement is only granted in certain cases. To obtain reimbursement, it may be a condition that the medicine is prescribed to certain patient groups or for the treatment of specific diseases. If the medicine is used for other purposes, no reimbursement is awarded unless you have been given a single reimbursement grant.

These medicinal products are marked with the symbol (circle with cross) on medicinpriser.dk.

Conditional reimbursement for over-the-counter medicines

Here, reimbursement is only granted if the medicine is dispensed on prescription to persons covered by the reimbursement condition, meaning, for example, that they suffer from specific diseases. Reimbursement for over-the-counter medicines is granted in no other cases unless your have been given a single reimbursement grant for a specific over-the-counter medicine.

These medicinal products are marked with the symbol (square) on medicinpriser.dk.

It is your doctor who assesses if you are entitled to reimbursement for a medicine eligible for conditional reimbursement. If you are, the doctor must write the word "tilskud" (reimbursement) on the prescription.

Please see the lists of over-the-counter medicines and prescription-only medicines eligible for conditional reimbursement.