Greece – Prescriptions and Medications

What are pharmacies called in Greece, and how do I recognise one?

Greek pharmacies are known as φαρμακείο (pronounced farmakeío) and are instantly recognisable by their glowing green cross, typically mounted above the entrance or displayed prominently in the shopfront window. This symbol is consistent throughout mainland Greece and the islands, making it straightforward to identify a pharmacy even for newcomers who cannot yet read the Greek alphabet.

Pharmacies are widespread across Greece, particularly in urban centres, and are almost always identifiable by a green cross set against a white background. In more remote towns and villages, the local area may be served by just one or two pharmacies, so it is wise to identify the one closest to your home shortly after settling in.

A typical Greek pharmacy provides a comprehensive range of services: dispensing both prescription and non-prescription medicines, stocking vitamins, supplements, and personal care products. Pharmacists are well-qualified and can offer detailed guidance on correct dosages, potential side effects, and interactions between medications — making them a valuable first point of contact for day-to-day health queries.

Beyond dispensing medicines, pharmacies across Greece routinely offer health monitoring services such as blood pressure checks and diabetes testing, and some also provide vaccinations. In smaller communities and on outlying islands, the local pharmacy often takes on a broader healthcare role, assisting with minor injuries and health concerns in a manner consistent with community pharmacy traditions found throughout much of continental Europe.

What are pharmacy opening hours in Greece?

The typical weekday schedule for Greek pharmacies runs from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm, followed by an afternoon reopening between 5:30 pm and 9:00 pm. Some pharmacies, particularly in busier urban locations, operate continuously from 8:30 am through to 9:00 pm without a midday break. Hours can differ between cities and smaller towns, so it is always worth checking locally when you first arrive.

On Saturdays, most pharmacies limit their service to morning hours, generally 8:30 am to 2:00 pm. Sundays and public holidays tend to see reduced availability, with on-duty pharmacies typically open from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm on those days.

Greece operates a rota system ensuring that at least one pharmacy in every area remains open outside of standard hours. Should you arrive at a closed pharmacy, a notice displayed on the door will direct you to the nearest pharmacy currently on duty. This arrangement is comparable to the “garde” system used in France and other southern European countries, so it will feel familiar to many expats arriving from those regions.

During closing hours and midday breaks, pharmacies are legally required to post a visible notice at the entrance listing the name, address, and telephone number of the duty pharmacist on call. You can also search for on-duty pharmacies online at vrisko.gr, which provides up-to-date duty listings covering all regions of Greece.

Which medications can I buy over the counter in Greece, and which require a prescription?

All medicines in Greece — whether prescription-only or available without one — must be purchased at a pharmacy. Unlike in some other countries, where basic pain relief or cold remedies can be picked up at supermarkets or petrol stations, Greek law restricts the sale of any medicinal product exclusively to pharmacies, including items as straightforward as aspirin.

Prescription medicines in Greece fall under the regulatory authority of the National Organization for Medicines (EOF), which is responsible for verifying their safety, efficacy, and quality. Further details about the EOF’s role and responsibilities can be found at eof.gr.

Newcomers to Greece are sometimes taken aback to discover that certain medicines — including some antidepressants — are obtainable without a prescription. However, the Greek system is not uniformly more permissive than elsewhere; in some respects it is considerably more restrictive. Antibiotics, for instance, now require a valid electronic prescription under rules introduced by the Greek Ministry of Health, with the prescription specifying both the drug name and the dosage relevant to the diagnosed condition.

Online medication purchases are permitted in Greece, and a number of licensed internet pharmacies operate in the country. That said, caution is warranted: buyers should verify that any website holds a valid authorisation to sell medicines and that all products are genuine and approved by the EOF. Always confirm that a licence number is displayed clearly on the site before completing a purchase.

How does the prescription system work in Greece?

Greece introduced a fully electronic prescribing system in 2014. Once a doctor has assessed a patient and decided on a course of medication, the prescription is entered directly into the national e-prescription platform. The patient can then take this to any participating pharmacy, where the pharmacist retrieves the details digitally and dispenses the medicine. This removes the need to carry a paper slip that could be mislaid — a notable advantage over the paper-based systems that persist in some other countries.

Both the prescribing doctor and the dispensing pharmacist must be registered with e-prescription.gr, the official Greek e-prescription portal. Patients are not tied to a specific pharmacy and may use any registered outlet that is convenient, provided that pharmacy is set up to receive prescriptions from their doctor.

The issuance of handwritten prescriptions is only permitted in exceptional circumstances — a power outage, for example. Where a paper prescription is unavoidable, it must contain all the same information as its electronic counterpart, including the name of the illness being treated.

Coverage of the e-prescription system is broad, though isolated gaps can occur in rural areas, where you may occasionally need to travel to a larger town to find a pharmacy that can process your prescription. This contrasts with highly centralised systems such as the NHS Electronic Prescription Service in the United Kingdom, which has achieved near-total national coverage.

To obtain a prescription medicine, patients are assessed by either a public or private doctor, who then enters the appropriate prescription into the system. A doctor may also issue an electronic referral for diagnostic tests or for consultation with a specialist. In the public system, patients typically need to see a GP before being referred onwards, whereas private sector appointments with specialists can often be made more directly.

How much do prescriptions and medications cost in Greece?

EOPYY (the National Organization for the Provision of Health Services) is Greece’s primary statutory health insurer, covering more than 95% of the population. Expats who have registered with EOPYY and hold an AMKA (Greek social security number) are entitled to subsidised medication through this scheme. For the most current co-payment figures, consult the EOPYY website directly or contact them by phone.

Under the current framework (as of 2025), insured patients typically contribute 25% of the cost of a prescribed medicine, with EOPYY covering the remaining 75%. This percentage-based model is broadly comparable to the co-payment structures found in France and Germany, where patients also pay a share of medication costs rather than a fixed charge as under the NHS model in the United Kingdom.

A Ministerial Decision that came into force in February 2024 introduced spending caps to protect patients: the amount payable by a patient beyond the statutory contribution cannot exceed €20 per unit formulation, and for generic medicines this cap is set at €3 per medicinal product — placing a firm ceiling on what insured patients pay for generics.

Medications prescribed electronically and dispensed through the EOPYY system attract the subsidised co-payment rate. If, in exceptional circumstances, a doctor issues a handwritten prescription, the medicines dispensed on that basis do not qualify for subsidy — reinforcing the importance of ensuring your doctor routinely uses the e-prescription system.

Expats who have not yet registered with EOPYY will generally be required to pay the full retail price for any medication they purchase. It is advisable to confirm current co-payment rates and any exemption categories that may apply to your situation directly with EOPYY, as these can be revised over time.

Will my home-country prescription be accepted in Greece?

A prescription issued by a doctor in any EU member state is recognised as valid across all other EU countries. To have a prescription filled at a Greek pharmacy when it was issued in another EU or EEA country, you should ensure it contains the required information — your personal details, the medicine’s name and dosage, and the prescribing doctor’s information. The vast majority of Greek pharmacies will accept such prescriptions without difficulty.

Cross-border EU prescriptions must be presented in printed or handwritten form at a Greek pharmacy. Provided the prescription complies with EU standards — including the patient’s name, full medicine details, and the issuing doctor’s particulars — it should be honoured in Greece. For queries specifically related to cross-border electronic prescriptions, the Hellenic National Contact Point for Cross-border Healthcare at eu-healthcare.eopyy.gov.gr can provide guidance.

For those arriving from outside the EU, the process is more complex. While some ordinary medicines may be accepted on a foreign prescription, stronger or controlled drugs will typically require approval from a Greek-registered doctor. In practice, this means visiting a local physician to obtain a new prescription. It is sensible to bring both your original prescription and a supporting letter from your home doctor detailing why the medication is necessary.

If you are relocating to Greece from another EU country, asking your current doctor for an EU-format prescription before departure is a practical measure. Bear in mind that doctors will generally only supply a limited quantity of the actual medication alongside the prescription, so this approach works best as a short-term bridge while you complete registration with a doctor in Greece.

Dosage regulations and dispensing limits vary from country to country, so it is worth researching in advance how much of your medication a Greek pharmacist is permitted to dispense in a single transaction. If you are concerned that the allowable quantity may be insufficient for your needs, ask your doctor whether multiple prescriptions — each to be filled as the previous supply runs out — can be issued before you leave.

Can I bring my medications into Greece?

Avoiding difficulties at customs begins with thorough preparation. Carry the original prescriptions for every medication you are bringing, along with a supporting letter from your doctor — written in English — explaining why each medicine is necessary. Keep all medications in their original packaging, labelled with the patient’s name and prescription details as they appear on your travel documents.

Only quantities intended for personal use are permitted, and you should bring no more than is required for the duration of your stay. For prescription medicines and particularly for controlled substances, a doctor’s letter specifying the amount required and a copy of the prescription should accompany you at all times. Medicines should remain in their original containers, with full prescription information and your name as it appears on your passport clearly visible.

Greece enforces particularly stringent rules around certain substances that are treated more casually elsewhere. Codeine — found in many countries in over-the-counter cough syrups or mild painkiller combinations — is classified as a controlled substance in Greece, placed in the same regulatory category as heroin. Travellers are not permitted to bring codeine into the country even when it forms only a minor component of a combined formulation.

Benzodiazepines, including diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), and alprazolam (Xanax), which are commonly prescribed for anxiety and sleep disorders, are also subject to regulation in Greece; bringing them into the country requires both a valid prescription and medical justification. Morphine requires detailed documentation, and oxycodone is similarly tightly controlled.

If you rely on a prescription medicine that is not marketed in Greece, especially one involving a restricted substance, a letter from your prescribing doctor at home explaining your medical need is essential. In the case of codeine, which is treated with the same severity as heroin under Greek law, the closest available equivalent is a product called Lonalgal, which shares the same active ingredients and pharmacological characteristics.

Before travelling, review the current Greek regulations on medicines via the relevant embassy or consulate website, as the rules surrounding controlled substances can change. The National Organization for Medicines (EOF) is the authoritative source for specific enquiries about individual substances.

How do expats access prescription medications through health insurance in Greece?

Expat residents and their immediate family members are generally entitled to access the Greek public healthcare system on favourable terms once they contribute to the national social insurance framework. The Social Insurance Institute — formerly known as IKA and now operating as EFKA — administers Greece’s social security arrangements. As soon as an expat begins employment, enrolment in the national health insurance system is required, and they will be issued with an AMKA social security number.

EFKA, the e-National Social Insurance Fund, encompasses several schemes including options tailored to immigrants and the self-employed. Once registered, insured individuals gain access to EOPYY-subsidised prescriptions through the e-prescription system. Self-employed expats have separate enrolment pathways within the Greek system that lead to the same benefits.

Long-term residents — including expats who have been living in Greece for more than three months, employees and self-employed individuals, EU state pensioners, and their dependent family members — are all eligible for an AMKA. Holding an AMKA is the gateway to subsidised healthcare and medication in Greece.

Those who hold a health insurance card issued by the relevant national insurance fund will be entitled to purchase prescription medicines at the reduced co-payment rate. Consultations with EFKA-approved healthcare providers are generally provided at no direct cost to the patient, though co-payments for prescribed medicines still apply. This structure is analogous to the models seen in Germany or the Netherlands, where public insurance absorbs the majority of medication costs while patients contribute a defined percentage.

EU citizens who have not yet completed full registration in Greece can access public healthcare entitlements for a limited period — normally up to 90 days — by presenting their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This card enables the holder to obtain prescribed medications at any pharmacy, provided the EHIC is presented alongside a duly signed and stamped prescription.

If you fill a cross-border EU prescription and pay the full cost upfront, you will need to contact your statutory insurer in your home country to establish whether reimbursement is available. Expats who choose to use private hospitals or clinics in Greece bear the full cost of treatment unless they carry supplementary private health insurance. Many expats opt for additional private cover to minimise out-of-pocket expenses and gain quicker access to a broader range of healthcare services.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do if I run out of medication in Greece?

If you find yourself without a prescription, many Greek pharmacies are able to contact your doctor directly and arrange for it to be filled on your behalf. Should a particular medication be out of stock, the pharmacy can place an order and have it delivered either to your address or back to the pharmacy for collection. If you have not yet registered with a local doctor, attending a public health centre (PEDY) or consulting an EOPYY-contracted private physician is the most efficient way to obtain a new electronic prescription quickly.

Are brand-name drugs available in Greece, or only generics?

Both branded and generic medicines are stocked by Greek pharmacies. Regulatory changes introduced in 2024 set a patient co-payment cap of €3 per medicinal product for generics, making them substantially more affordable for insured patients than equivalent branded products, for which the patient contribution beyond the statutory share is capped at €20 per unit formulation. Your pharmacist can advise you on whether a generic alternative exists for your particular medication.

How do I find a pharmacy where staff speak a language other than Greek?

In major cities such as Athens and Thessaloniki, most pharmacists have a solid command of English and can assist with common health concerns including coughs, colds, and minor ailments. In more rural locations, bringing an interpreter along may be helpful if you have limited Greek. Local expat community groups and online forums are frequently a useful source of recommendations for pharmacies with multilingual staff in a given area.

What happens in a medical emergency in Greece?

In any emergency, dial 112 or 166 for assistance. The public ambulance service, EKAV, operates across most of the country and response times in larger urban areas are generally acceptable, though coverage can be more limited on some islands and in remote rural regions — in such circumstances, private ambulances, EKAV helicopters, or even taxis may be used as alternatives. You may also proceed directly to an on-duty public hospital (ESY), where emergency treatment is provided free of charge.

Can I get my prescription medication delivered to my home in Greece?

Online medication sales are legal in Greece, and a number of authorised internet pharmacies operate within the country. If a medication is unavailable at your local pharmacy, it can often be ordered and delivered to your home or held at the pharmacy for collection. Before using any online pharmacy, always confirm that it holds a valid licence issued by the National Organization for Medicines (EOF).

Does my existing private health insurance cover prescriptions in Greece?

Depending on the terms of your current policy, it may be possible to extend coverage to include Greece. Prescription benefits vary considerably between insurers, so reviewing your policy documents carefully is essential. Many international health insurance plans do cover prescription costs, though upfront payment followed by a reimbursement claim is a common arrangement. Contact your insurer before relocating to clarify precisely what prescription-related expenses are covered in Greece.

Are there medications commonly available abroad that I cannot get in Greece?

Certain medicines that are readily available in other countries are either restricted or entirely unavailable in Greece. Codeine is subject to strict controls — its closest Greek equivalent is a product called Lonalgal. The nearest available substitute for tramadol is marketed under the name Tramal. Adderall is not available in Greece, though Ritalin and Concerta are obtainable by prescription. It is strongly advisable to research your specific medications before moving and to seek advice from a local doctor or the EOF regarding suitable alternatives.

Do I need a referral to see a specialist and get a prescription in Greece?

Patients can access outpatient healthcare directly by booking an appointment at a PEDY health centre, a rural health centre, or a hospital outpatient department, where the consulting doctor can issue electronic prescriptions or onward referrals to a specialist. Specialist appointments within the public system can be made with an EOPYY-contracted specialist, a hospital specialist at an ESY facility, or through a private clinic contracted with EOPYY. In the private sector, it is generally possible to book directly with a specialist without a prior referral, though you will be liable for the full private consultation fee.