Online Pharmacy in Spain: How to Buy Medicines Safely
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera, MD
Licensed Physician No. 484814280 · Official Medical College of Bizkaia (Spain)Last reviewed: 31 October 2026
An online pharmacy in Spain may only sell non-prescription medicines. How to check the EU logo, spot fake sites, and how UK and US rules compare.
You don't have to figure this out alone
Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera is an independent, bilingual GP licensed in Spain. Book a 15-minute video consultation in English or Spanish for €50, with a private electronic prescription issued under Spanish law when clinically appropriate.
Yes, you can buy some medicines online in Spain, but only from a real Spanish pharmacy that its regional health authority has approved. A legal online pharmacy in Spain may sell only non-prescription medicines. Prescription medicines cannot be sold online in Spain. Check for the EU common logo and click it before you pay.
- In Spain, only pharmacies (farmacias) may sell medicines online, and only medicines that do not need a prescription.
- The rule comes from Royal Decree 870/2013, as the AEMPS (Spain's medicines agency) explains.
- A legal site shows the EU common logo with the Spanish flag. Clicking it should take you to an official register.
- A site that sells prescription medicines without a prescription is not legal in Spain.
- Fake sites often sell falsified or poor-quality medicines that may not work or may harm you.
- The UK and the US have their own checks: the GPhC pharmacy register in Great Britain, and state licences and BeSafeRx in the US.
Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera is a GP licensed in Spain (Colegiado No. 484814280).
For a medical emergency, call 112 or go to the nearest local emergency department. Do not wait for a video consultation or an online reply.
Is it legal to buy medicines online in Spain?
Yes, within clear limits. The AEMPS explains that Royal Decree 870/2013 sets the rules for selling medicines at a distance. In short:
- Only a physical pharmacy can sell medicines online. A general web shop cannot.
- The pharmacy must notify the health authority of its region (comunidad autónoma) before it starts.
- It may only sell medicines that do not need a prescription (medicamentos no sujetos a prescripción médica).
So a Spanish online pharmacy can send you a cold remedy or an antihistamine that is sold without a prescription. It cannot post you antibiotics, strong painkillers or other prescription medicines.
Can I buy prescription medicines online in Spain?
No. The AEMPS states that in Spain only non-prescription medicines can be sold this way. This is true even if you already have a valid prescription. For a prescription medicine, you take your prescription to a pharmacy in person.
A website that offers prescription medicines with no prescription, or after a quick online form, is breaking Spanish rules.
Not sure if your medicine needs a prescription in Spain? Our guide to the prescription status of 116 common medicines lists them one by one.
How do I check that an online pharmacy is legal?
Use the EU common logo. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) describes it like this:
- It is green and grey and shows the flag of the country where the seller is based.
- For a Spanish online pharmacy, that is the Spanish flag.
- A logo with the EU flag (the circle of stars) is not genuine.
- Click the logo. It should open the official national register, where the pharmacy must be listed.
If the logo does not click through, or the pharmacy is not on the register, do not buy. The AEMPS explains that each authorised pharmacy gets its own coded logo, linked to its entry with the authorities.
Need a medicine that requires a prescription in Spain?
A website cannot legally send it to you. A doctor can assess you first. Dr. Yelamo is a GP licensed in Spain and sees patients by video, in English or Spanish. If a medicine is right for you, he can issue a private electronic prescription for a Spanish pharmacy.
What are the warning signs of a fake online pharmacy?
The US FDA lists signs that an online pharmacy may be unsafe. They apply in Spain too:
- It does not ask for a prescription for a prescription medicine.
- It has no licence you can check.
- There is no pharmacist you can talk to.
- The prices look too good to be true.
- The medicine looks different from what you get at your local pharmacy.
- It charges for things you did not order or did not receive.
- It does not say clearly how it protects your personal and payment data.
Social media posts, messaging apps and marketplace adverts are not pharmacies. Be extra careful with weight-loss injections, erectile dysfunction medicines and antibiotics.
Why do fake medicines matter?
The AEMPS warns that medicines from illegal websites have no guarantee of quality, safety or effect. Many are falsified or of poor quality.
The EMA says medicines from unregistered sellers may contain poor ingredients or the wrong amount of the active substance. They may be badly labelled or have fake packs. They may not work, or they may cause serious side effects or clash with your other medicines. Our guide on counterfeit weight-loss pens shows what this looks like in practice.
How do the UK and US rules compare?
If you are used to buying medicines online at home, the checks in Spain will look different.
- Spain and the EU. Look for the EU common logo with the flag of the seller's country, and click it. Prescription medicines cannot be sold online in Spain.
- United Kingdom. In Great Britain, pharmacies are registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), which keeps a public register you can search. Since Brexit, the MHRA register of authorised online sellers covers Northern Ireland.
- United States. The FDA's BeSafeRx campaign advises buying only from state-licensed online pharmacies. A safe one always asks for a prescription, has a US address and phone number, and has a licensed pharmacist to answer questions.
A prescription from the UK or the US is not the same as a Spanish one. Our guide on using a UK prescription in Spain explains the options.
What if I already bought medicine from a website I am not sure about?
- Do not take it until you have checked it.
- Compare the pack and the leaflet with the same medicine from a Spanish pharmacy. Ask the pharmacist to look at it.
- If you took it and feel unwell, stop and speak to a doctor.
- Keep the pack, the receipt and the website address.
Call 112 for trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, chest pain, a fit, or collapse after taking any medicine.
Talking it through with a doctor by video
Dr. Yelamo is a GP licensed in Spain. He sees adults, children and pregnant patients by video, every day from 07:30 to 20:30 (Spain time). In the visit he will:
- Go through the medicines you take now and the ones you were planning to buy.
- Tell you which of them need a prescription in Spain and what the Spanish names are.
- Agree a safe plan with you, and tell you if you need tests or an in-person exam.
He does not promise any test or prescription before the visit. Where clinically appropriate, following a genuine evaluation. Treatment and prescriptions are issued solely at the doctor's discretion based on evidence-based clinical guidelines.
A prescription is never guaranteed: it is issued only where clinically appropriate after a genuine evaluation, as a private electronic prescription under Spanish law. This service is for urgent, non-emergency care. In an emergency, call 112.
See how the Urgent Care video visit works. It lasts 15 minutes and costs €50.
This guide is general information. It is not legal advice and does not replace a consultation with your doctor or pharmacist.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy medicines online in Spain?
Yes, but only non-prescription medicines, and only from a Spanish pharmacy that has notified its regional health authority. It must show the EU common logo.
Can a Spanish online pharmacy send me prescription medicines?
No. Under Royal Decree 870/2013, prescription medicines cannot be sold online in Spain. You take your prescription to a pharmacy in person.
How do I know if an online pharmacy in Spain is legal?
Look for the green and grey EU common logo with the Spanish flag and click it. It should take you to an official register where the pharmacy is listed.
Is a logo with the EU flag a good sign?
No. The EMA says the genuine logo shows the flag of the seller's country, not the EU flag. A logo with the circle of stars is not authentic.
Can I use a UK or US online pharmacy while living in Spain?
Their rules are built for patients in those countries. A UK or US prescription is not a Spanish prescription. Speak to a doctor in Spain about how to continue your medicine.
What should I do with medicine from a doubtful website?
Do not take it until a pharmacist has checked it. If you took it and feel unwell, stop and see a doctor. Call 112 for trouble breathing, swelling or collapse.
Sources
- AEMPS: Online sale of non-prescription medicines and the common logo
- European Medicines Agency: Buying medicines online
- FDA BeSafeRx: Considering an online pharmacy?
- FDA: About BeSafeRx
- GOV.UK (MHRA): Register of authorised online sellers of medicines in Northern Ireland
Related guides
Medical Citations & Sources
This content is written and reviewed by a licensed physician with reference to the following official health authorities.
