Lost or Forgotten Medication in Spain: What to Do

If you have lost or forgotten your medicine in Spain, do not stop it suddenly and do not double up. Collect proof of what you take, then see a doctor in Spain. A pharmacy cannot give a prescription-only medicine without a valid prescription. Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera, a GP licensed in Spain, can review your treatment by video.

What should I do first if I lose my medicine in Spain?

Look again, keep taking what you have as normal, and collect proof of your treatment. These steps make the next visit to a doctor simpler and safer.

1. Look again. Check your hand luggage, coat pockets, other bags, the car and your room. Ask the place where you stayed last.
2. Do not double up or stop suddenly. If you find a few tablets, do not take extra to catch up. Read the leaflet about missed doses, or ask a pharmacist.
3. Gather proof. Take a photo of the box or the pharmacy label. Find a pharmacy record, a screenshot from the NHS App or your US pharmacy portal, or a letter from your doctor at home.
4. Know the details. Write down the active ingredient, not only the brand. Add the strength and how you take it.
5. Contact your airline if your bag is delayed. Report it at the airport desk or online and keep the reference number. Your medicine may come back with the bag.
6. Check your travel insurance. Many policies pay for a doctor's visit abroad. Keep every invoice and receipt.
7. Decide how urgent it is. The next section lists the medicines that should not wait.

Which medicines should not wait?

Some medicines are risky to miss, even for a short time. If you take one of these and cannot get it in time, go to a hospital emergency department (urgencias).

• Insulin. Without it, blood sugar can rise quickly, above all in type 1 diabetes.
• Epilepsy medicines. A gap can bring on seizures.
• Anticoagulants (blood thinners). A gap raises the risk of a blood clot or a stroke.
• Parkinson's medicines. Missed doses can make stiffness, movement and swallowing much worse.
• Steroids taken long term, such as prednisolone or hydrocortisone. Stopping suddenly can cause an adrenal crisis, which is an emergency.
• Transplant medicines. A gap can lead to rejection of the new organ.
• HIV medicines. Gaps can let the virus become resistant to treatment.
• Reliever inhalers for asthma. You need one at hand in case of an attack.

Other daily medicines need a plan too. Stopping blood pressure tablets can let your blood pressure rise again, and stopping a beta-blocker suddenly can cause a fast or irregular heartbeat. Without thyroid hormone (levothyroxine), tiredness and brain fog can return. Stopping an antidepressant suddenly can cause dizziness, anxiety or electric shock feelings. Ask for advice soon. Do not wait until symptoms start.

I missed my contraceptive pill. What now?

Missed pills can leave you unprotected, so you may need emergency contraception. In Spain, the morning-after pill with levonorgestrel is sold in pharmacies without a prescription.

Check your pill leaflet. The rules for missed pills depend on the type of pill and how many you missed. Use condoms until you know you are protected again. Our guide to the morning-after pill in Spain explains what to ask for. To restart your usual pill, you will need a prescription.

Can a Spanish pharmacy give me my medicine without a prescription?

No, not if it is a prescription-only medicine. A pharmacist in Spain cannot hand it over without a valid prescription, even if you show the empty box.

The pharmacist can still help. They can tell you its Spanish name and where the nearest health centre is. Keep the box anyway: it shows the doctor exactly what you take.

Is my prescription from home valid in Spain?

It depends on where it was written. Prescriptions from other EU countries are recognised. UK prescriptions are uncertain. US and other non-EU prescriptions are not valid.

EU prescriptions. Under EU Directive 2011/24/EU and Royal Decree 1718/2010 (as amended by Royal Decree 81/2014), Spanish pharmacies recognise prescriptions from other EU countries. The prescription must carry the required details: your name and date of birth, the doctor's name, contact details and signature, the date, and the medicine's active ingredient, form and strength. In practice, a pharmacist may find a foreign paper prescription hard to check.

UK prescriptions. GOV.UK says UK visitors can use a UK prescription to get medicines in Spain. But the Spanish rules that guarantee recognition cover EU prescriptions only. So a UK paper prescription is accepted at the pharmacist's discretion, and many pharmacies decline. Electronic NHS prescriptions and screenshots cannot be dispensed.

US, Canadian and other non-EU prescriptions. These are not valid in Spanish pharmacies. You need a new prescription from a doctor in Spain.

If you are moving to Spain rather than visiting, our guide Can I use my UK or US prescription in Spain? covers long-term supply.

Where can I get a new prescription in Spain?

You have three options: the public health service, a private clinic, or a video appointment with a doctor licensed in Spain.

• Public health centre (centro de salud), or the PAC or urgencias out of hours. With an EHIC or a GHIC, visitors can use public care that becomes necessary during their stay. Bring your card and your passport. Staff usually speak Spanish. Medicines are not free: GOV.UK says GHIC holders usually pay 50% of the price, or 10% with a UK State Pension.
• Private clinic or doctor. You pay for the visit. A private prescription is paid in full at the pharmacy.
• Video appointment with Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera. €50 for 15 minutes, every day from 07:30 to 20:30 (Spain time). No Spanish health card is needed. You get a medical report and an itemised invoice for your insurer. A private e-prescription is issued only where clinically appropriate, and you pay for the medicine in full.

How does a video appointment for lost medicine work?

The doctor checks what you take and whether it is safe to carry on. If it is clinically appropriate, he issues a Spanish private e-prescription.

1. Your history. You show proof of your usual treatment: an old prescription, a photo of the box, a pharmacy receipt or a letter from your doctor.
2. Safety check. The doctor confirms the active ingredient (principio activo) and the strength. He checks your other medicines and asks how you feel now.
3. Spanish equivalent. Brand names change from country to country. The doctor finds the same medicine, or a generic with the same active ingredient, as sold in Spain.
4. Prescription, if suitable. If it is right for you, you receive a private e-prescription on your phone. Pharmacies across Spain can dispense it.

Which medicines cannot be prescribed online?

Controlled medicines are never prescribed online. These include strong opioid painkillers, benzodiazepines, sleeping pills such as zolpidem, and ADHD stimulants. You need to see a doctor in person for them.

Some other medicines need an exam, a blood test or a specialist's approval first. In those cases the doctor will tell you where to go. If you travel with controlled medicines, the AEMPS may ask for a permit, so check its rules before your next trip.

When should I go to urgencias or call 112?

Do not wait for a video appointment if missing your medicine has already made you unwell. Call 112 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department if you have:

• Severe chest pain, palpitations or shortness of breath.
• Very high blood pressure with changes in your vision or a severe headache.
• Signs of a diabetic emergency: extreme thirst, confusion, fruity-smelling breath or vomiting.
• A seizure, sudden weakness, loss of balance or other severe nerve symptoms.
• Severe weakness, vomiting or fainting after stopping long-term steroids.
• One of the medicines that should not wait, and no way to get it in time.

Our guide to emergency numbers in Spain explains when to call 112 or 061.

Getting a medical assessment

If you have lost or forgotten your medicine, you can book a video appointment with Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera, a GP licensed in Spain (Colegiado No. 484814280). You can also read about help with lost medication and e-prescriptions in Spain. 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.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• GOV.UK: Healthcare for UK nationals visiting Spain
• AEMPS: Medicines for the treatment of travellers
• NHS: Can I take my medicine abroad?
• CDC: Travel abroad with medicine
• BOE: Real Decreto 1718/2010 on medical prescriptions

This guide is general information. It does not replace the advice of your doctor or pharmacist. In an emergency, call 112.