Medication in the Netherlands

Last activity 09 March 2020 by Danlap

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LoïcViP04 March 2020 09:06:48

1777

Good morning everyone,

Whether it's a simple cold or a chronic illness, medication and medicine use vary from country to country and culture to culture.

When you are used to certain brands or types of drugs, being in a country like the Netherlands with different rules can affect your daily well-being.

Some drugs also differ in name, price, dosage, active molecule, so we would like to hear your opinion on these issues:

Have you ever had difficulties finding familiar or useful medicines for your health in your host country?

Have you ever been faced with a shortage of medicines in the Netherlands?

Would you have said that in the Netherlands drugs are more or less expensive than in your home country? Do you find them more or less effective or of similar quality?

What is the place of alternative medicines in your host country? Have you ever used them?

Thank you in advance for your feedback,

Loïc

DanlapMember09 March 2020 14:14:37

Hi,

Most of us will be screened by General Practice / Artsen at first. And 8 out of 10 prescribed medicine would be paracetamol or low dosage of antibiotics.
For sure, most (if not all) drugs related illness would requires prescription. Some vitamin, (known) herbal, supplements, anti alergic and small dose paracetamol are 'over the counter'.

It is hard to find Asian origin drugs om local pharmacy. Maybe Netherlands doctors are either not familiar with the ingredients or not certain about the production processes. All drugs are regulated.
Don't get me wrong, doctors in NL are good, but they also have limitiation for some illness which they are not familiar to. For instance, dangue fever, pneumonia, and some other tropical disease.

Also, be patient and assertive. To be considered as a patient, you should be either having a fever more than 40 degree for 3 consecutive days, or collapse, suspected broken bones or bleeding. Not meeting those criteria, could lead to be less prioritized.

This is a healthy country where paracetamol could cure all😉😄

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