Table 2.

Positive and negative impact of the new regulations on the community pharmacy sector in Estonia.

Restrictions to Ownership of Community Pharmacies and Vertical Integration
Positive Impact	Negative Impact
Pharmacist will be independent and able to make professional decisions not related to commercial interests.	Concerns about the sustainable development of community pharmacies as vertical integration helps to support non-profitable operation of retail sale of medicines.
A smaller number of pharmacies in towns means existing pharmacies will grow bigger, have more qualified staff, a larger selection of medicines and services.	Closing community pharmacies in rural regions could be seen as an imminent factor reducing accessibility to medicines.
Decrease in the prices of medicines due to the elimination of vertical integration, and the market opening to new wholesale companies.	Increase in medicine prices due to the restrictions on vertical integration that currently offers several discounts.
Community pharmacies can focus on the development of quality and patient-centered services.	Limited finances to educate pharmacists and invest in the development of community pharmacies. Community pharmacies might concentrate only on medicines and less on extended services.