This is a little bit of an update to a blog post Trevis wrote last year about getting prescription drugs in Mexico City. It was very easy there. It was pretty easy in Turkey also, as well as in Thailand and in Vietnam, so how about in the E.U.?
I take a low dose beta blocker and knew I would need to fill up before we arrived back in the U.S., but also knew that the pharmacies here in Europe are strict about dispensing medications without a prescription from an E.U. doctor. So I didn’t even bother asking a pharmacist to fill my U.S. prescription and went directly to a doctor. Tourist Medical Center in Split, Croatia, was recommended by several people online for this purpose. It is a walk-in clinic, so no appointments needed (or available). I checked Google Maps to see what their least busy times usually are and since we are able to determine our own schedules, I was able to just show up at the optimal time.
Tourist Medical Center
When we arrived, the reception/waiting area was empty, but a doctor came out when she heard our voices. After determining it wasn’t an emergency, she let us know she was finishing up with a patient and would be back with us in a few minutes. When it was my turn the doctor asked to make a copy of my ID and entered that and my phone number into her computer. She asked the reason for my visit. I told her the name of the drug that I needed a prescription for and she asked me some questions about the dosage and frequency I take, the condition that is being treated, was I currently experiencing any symptoms, etc.
This was not a health exam – she did not weigh me or take my vitals, shine lights into my eyes, ears, or throat. It was strictly transactional. She checked to make sure I would be able to find my medication in the correct dosage in Split and then printed out a prescription to take to the pharmacy. This visit cost 60 euros. The invoice divided this in two parts – 30 was for giving me the prescription and 30 appeared to be a new patient set up fee. At some level, I’m sure this required doctor’s visit is to protect my health. It would be easier to see it as more than a money grab if the doctor had actually examined me rather than just take me at my word that I need this medicine.
The Pharmacy
Once I had my prescription, filling it was easy enough. The pharmacist spoke English. She looked at the prescription I handed her, checked their inventory on the computers, then went and got it for me. She went over the instructions for taking the medication and asked if I had any questions, then asked me how I wanted to pay. The total for 28 pills was just under five euros, which is about the same as I paid in Vietnam.
So while it is possible to get my medication in Europe, the required doctor appointment does add some cost and inconvenience and I will try to avoid it in the future.
