Widespread shortages hit oral acne medication across Finnish pharmacies

All oral isotretinoin acne medications authorized for sale in Finland are currently facing supply disruptions, according to senior inspector Julia Lehtinen of the Finnish Medicines Agency (Fimea). The affected brands include Isotretinoin Orifarm, Isotretinoin Actavis and Isotretinoin Orion, and the shortage has been ongoing since the start of the year. Lehtinen notes that the issue could last past the new year and, for some producers, may continue until March or April 2027.

Some pharmacies may still have limited quantities of certain pack sizes, but the overall availability is low. Alternative acne treatments, both prescription and over-the-counter, are being recommended, and special permits have been granted for non-licensed products to alleviate the gap. Patients can also import isotretinoin from other EU countries such as Estonia or Sweden for personal use, provided they follow import regulations.