Hungarian pharmacies are most often found under the signboards "Gyógyszertár", less often "Patika". Most pharmacies are only open on weekdays during normal business hours. The work schedule depends on the area. In large cities, 24-hour pharmacies are more common than in small ones. There may be only one pharmacy on duty in a small town.
Local pharmacies have a wide range of medicines, hygiene and cosmetic products, vitamins and dietary supplements. Unlike in Russia, the list of medicines that are sold exclusively by prescription is much wider, so people with health problems and taking certain types of medicines are better off bringing them with them or taking a prescription from a Russian doctor.
Prescription medicines:
- antibiotics and medicines that partially contain them;
- hormonal drugs;
- psychotropic substances;
- some types of non-steroidal drugs;
- medicines containing narcotic substances.
If you need to buy prescription drugs, you should contact your family doctor (general practitioner) at the nearest medical center. However, physicians are not allowed to write prescriptions for certain types of drugs, in some cases it may be necessary to visit a specific specialist.
It is also possible to buy a medicine with a prescription issued in Russia, but in this case, it must be drawn up in accordance with international rules, that is, the active substance must be written legibly in Latin letters, the dose is correctly indicated and all seals must be affixed.
Most of the familiar medicines in Hungary will have a different name. To buy a Hungarian analogue, it is enough to know the medicinal substance, which is written in Latin letters on the packaging of the Russian drug. The pharmacist, in turn, will suggest suitable options.
The prices for medicines in Hungary are much higher than in Russia. You can't buy "penny" drugs here. Even activated carbon from the cheapest manufacturer will cost several times more than the usual Russian one. However, there is no significant difference in price between generics.
In Hungary, essential medicines (antipyretic, antipyretic, stabilizing digestion), vitamins and herbs can also be purchased in regular chain stores or drogeria.
