Can I buy medicine at the pharmacy without a prescription?
It depends on the medicine. Over-the-counter medicines (marked BR) such as small packs of paracetamol, ibuprofen or throat lozenges are sold freely, but real prescription medicines (marked Rp) - above all antibiotics, blood-pressure drugs, sedatives and sleeping pills - are dispensed only against a doctor's prescription. Whether a medicine is prescription-only is decided by HALMED, the medicines agency, not by the pharmacy or the patient. The standard today is the e-prescription: the doctor enters it into the system and you collect the medicine at any pharmacy with your ID card or health-insurance card. The clock is short - a prescription for an antibiotic is valid for only 3 days, and an ordinary non-repeatable prescription for 15 days. The myth that in Croatia you can still get antibiotics over the counter simply is not true: a pharmacist who hands out a prescription medicine without a prescription commits an offence under the Medicines Act.
📋 The rules
- Whether a medicine is dispensed on prescription (Rp) or without one (BR) is decided by HALMED when it authorises the medicine, not by the pharmacy or patient.
- Antibiotics, blood-pressure drugs, sedatives and most real medicines are dispensed only against a doctor's prescription.
- The standard is the e-prescription: the doctor enters it in the system and you collect the medicine at any pharmacy with an ID or health-insurance card.
- A prescription for an antibiotic is valid for only 3 days, and an ordinary non-repeatable prescription for 15 days from issue.
- For medicines on the HZZO basic list you pay only the co-payment or nothing, and supplementary health insurance covers that co-payment.
🔓 Exceptions
- Over-the-counter medicines - small packs of paracetamol, ibuprofen, throat lozenges, some ointments - are bought freely, without a prescription.
- In an emergency with immediate danger to health, a pharmacist may dispense the smallest pack even without a prescription, with a note in the record.
- A prescription issued by a doctor in another EU country is generally honoured by a Croatian pharmacy if it contains all the required details.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
For the patient the main cost is not a fine but a health risk - taking antibiotics without a diagnosis drives antibiotic resistance, which strips us of medicines that still work. A pharmacy that dispenses a prescription-only medicine without a valid prescription, or dispenses medicine at an unapproved place, is treated by the Medicines Act as an offence; oversight is carried out by HALMED and the pharmaceutical inspectorate, and in serious cases the pharmacy risks losing its operating licence. Ordering prescription medicines from foreign websites carries the added risk that the parcel is held by customs, that the medicine is counterfeit, and that HZZO will not reimburse it, so you bear the whole cost yourself. Without a referral and a prescription, even the listed price of the medicine is not subsidised.
📎 Official sources
- HALMED - over-the-counter (OTC) medicines →
- Official Gazette - Rules on prescribing and dispensing medicines (NN 37/2024) →
- HZZO - medicines and co-payment →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I get antibiotics without a prescription?
No. Antibiotics are prescription-only in Croatia and a pharmacy may not dispense them without a doctor's prescription, which is valid for only 3 days after issue. If you do not have one, you must see a doctor or go to emergency care, because antibiotics must not be taken on your own initiative.
Is a prescription from another EU country valid?
Yes. A prescription issued by a doctor in another EU member state is generally accepted by a Croatian pharmacy if it contains all the required details and an EU-recognised medicine name. The exception is medicines under a special regime in Croatia, such as narcotics, for which stricter rules apply.
What is an e-prescription and can I collect it anywhere?
An e-prescription is an electronic prescription the doctor enters into the system, and you collect it at any pharmacy by showing your ID card or health-insurance card. A paper prescription is no longer needed, but the medicine must still be prescribed for the pharmacist to dispense it.
Do I pay the full price of a prescription medicine?
For medicines on the HZZO basic list you pay only the co-payment or nothing, while for medicines on the supplementary list you pay the difference to the full price. Supplementary health insurance covers that co-payment, so with it you collect most listed medicines without paying.
Can I order prescription medicine over the internet?
Only pharmacies with authorisation may sell over-the-counter medicines at a distance, while prescription medicines may not be sold online in Croatia. Ordering such medicines from abroad is risky because the parcel may be held by customs and the medicine may be counterfeit.
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