Spain to end manual coupon cutting in pharmacies, switch to digital system
The Spanish Ministry of Health has confirmed the end of the manual practice of cutting coupons from medicine boxes with a cutter, replacing it with a fully digital system to justify pharmacy reimbursements from the National Health System. The change, approved by the Council of Ministers, eliminates a procedure that had been in place since 1975.
What is changing
Pharmacists currently cut a perforated coupon from each subsidized medication box and paste it onto a sheet sent to the administration to claim the patient's co-payment portion. The new system will use a digital identifier (unique code) to track dispensed medications, as part of the update to Royal Decree 1345/2007 governing the Spanish Medicines Verification System. Minister Mónica García stated that the reform "improves interoperability and secure information exchange between health administrations" Source: elespanol.
Pilot results and savings
A pilot project in the Valencian Community, which concluded in 2025 across 300 pharmacies in Alicante and 800 in Castellón, demonstrated significant benefits. According to COPE, the digital model avoids printing over 50 million sheets and managing 70,000 boxes of documentation annually. Direct paper savings for pharmacies amount to €650,000, with total annual savings across the sector reaching €5 million Source: abces.
What's next
Transition will be gradual. During an interim period, both the paper coupon and digital system will coexist, meaning pharmacists will not discard their cutters immediately. The reform is expected to modernize a process widely seen as anachronistic in an era of advanced technology Source: abces.
Sources
4 quotes“La reforma del Real Decreto 1345/2007, aprobada por el Consejo de Ministros, actualiza la regulación del Sistema Español de Verificación de Medicamentos.”
“El ahorro directo sería de 650.000 euros en papel y de 5 millones de euros anuales si el Gobierno decide retirar el sistema de cupones de las farmacias”
““El reglamento adapta el marco normativo a la evolución tecnológica del sistema y actualiza determinados aspectos de su funcionamiento para mejorar la interoperabilidad y el intercambio seguro de información entre las administraciones sanitarias”, dijo la ministra Mónica García.”
“Los resultados del piloto son contundentes. Según los cálculos, el modelo digital evita la impresión anual de más de 50 millones de hojas y la gestión de más de 70.000 cajas de documentación.”