Understanding Prescriptions and Pharmacies in Poland

The second part of the guide on healthcare in Poland, which will cover questions such as:

  • 1. Prescriptions: what types exist, how to obtain them, who can buy medications
  • 2. Where to buy medications online or check their availability
  • 3. Where to get medical tests done
  • 4. Getting X-rays, CT, and MRI without a referral

PRESCRIPTIONS

How to obtain a prescription for medications?

In Poland, many medications are prescription-only, and unlike in Ukraine, it is not possible to obtain prescription drugs without a prescription. Prescriptions can be issued by both private doctors and those under the NFZ (National Health Fund), both offline and online.

There are two types of prescriptions in Poland: paper and electronic.

Thus, except in emergency situations (pharmacist-issued prescriptions), the simplest and only possible method for obtaining medication for the first time is to consult a doctor. The doctor will conduct an examination, prescribe tests, make a diagnosis, and write out medications. They will also advise whether the necessary medication can be purchased without a prescription and provide the required documentation if needed.

The digital prescription is issued as follows:

  1. The responsible person enters all the necessary information into the information system and generates the document.
  2. Then, there are several possible options:
    1. The doctor prints the prescription, and the patient takes it to the pharmacy.
    2. Alternatively, the patient receives an SMS with the prescription code. This code is provided at the pharmacy, where the pharmacist checks it through the information system and sells the necessary medication.
    3. Or a PDF file with the prescription, which contains a unique barcode, is sent to the patient’s phone or email. The pharmacist scans this, checks it via the system, and dispenses the required medications.
Prescription instructions

How long is a prescription valid for medications in Poland?

First of all, prescriptions (both paper and electronic) may be valid from the date of issue or from a separately specified date on the prescription itself. From this, the time limits are calculated:

  • Paper version – no more than 30 days from the start of validity.
  • Electronic – up to 365 days; however, if a time limit is not expressly stated on the document, it is also not more than 30 days from the time of prescription formation.

This applies to regular cases, but specific categories of medications have their own established terms:

  • For antibiotics taken orally or parenterally (internal use without the patient’s gastrointestinal tract, e.g., aerosols, inhalations, injections) – up to 7 days.
  • For medications imported from abroad for targeted use – up to 120 days.
  • Immunological medications manufactured individually for the patient – 120 days.
  • For narcotic substances, psychotropic substances, medications containing narcotics or psychotropics, and category I precursors – up to 30 days.

If the expiration date is not indicated in the electronic document, the validity period of the prescription is no more than 30 days.

Additionally, if a prescription allows for multiple purchases of medications, the second and subsequent purchases must necessarily be made at the pharmacy where the first purchase was made. The system simply will not allow the purchase of medications at another pharmacy.

Who can dispense medications in Poland?

  • Doctors, dentists, senior paramedics, and paramedics.
  • Nurses and midwives.
  • Licensed pharmacists.

*The pharmacist has the right to issue a prescription (Polish: Recepta farmaceutyczna – pharmaceutical prescription or, more appropriately, pharmacist’s prescription), but exclusively in emergency situations threatening life. Such sales can only be made directly to the person in need, their spouse, or a direct relative (children, parents, siblings, etc.).

The pharmacist cannot issue prescriptions (and therefore sell) for medications containing narcotic or psychotropic substances, as well as category I precursors.

How many medications can be purchased?

A prescription may be issued for a certain quantity of a given medication. Within its validity, more cannot be dispensed. This is a relatively straightforward aspect of the issue. However, certain conditions may require ongoing or periodic use of medications (this also includes special nutrition if prescribed by a doctor, as well as various medical devices). This parameter often changes.

As of September 2023, it is possible to purchase medications (special nutrition, devices) for no more than 120 days with a single prescription. This applies to both new prescriptions and those that have been issued earlier.

From November 1, 2023, new conditions will be introduced – if the prescription remains valid, after purchasing the quantity needed for 120 days, the next purchase with the same prescription can be made after 2/3 of this period has elapsed, that is, after 90 days.

Online prescriptions

There is also an option for online ordering of medications that the patient takes on a regular basis. This means it can be done if the medications were previously prescribed, a prescription for them was issued in digital format, and now it is merely a matter of ‘extending’ the prescription (legally this is obtaining a new one, based on previous prescriptions). How to obtain an electronic prescription online? You will need your own account at Internetowym Koncie Pacjenta (IKP) on the pacjent.gov.pl website. To obtain a prescription:

  1. Go to the service website and log in.
  2. On the “Prescriptions” / “My prescriptions” tab, select the previously issued document.
  3. Mark the necessary medications and click “Order prescription”.
  4. The system may require you to confirm the order again – do so. Then you will need to wait a little. Your doctor will receive a request for a new prescription. The doctor will decide whether to agree with this without further examination or not. You can check the status of the request on the “Prescriptions” / “Ordered prescriptions” tab. There may be information about approval, inability to process (e.g., if the doctor does not have access to the system), or the necessity to come for an examination/check. If the prescription is approved, it can be printed or presented to the pharmacist from the device’s screen.

Additionally, prescriptions can be obtained on the following websites:
https://www.erecept.pl/t/recepta-online
https://tabletka24.pl/uk/

Who can buy medications with a prescription?

In addition to the previously mentioned cases of emergency prescription issuance (pharmacist’s prescription), which can be obtained either by the patient themselves or their close relative, no regulatory act contains restrictions on the individuals to whom medications can be sold with a prescription. In other words, any competent person can purchase medications. This fact has been confirmed by the Minister of Health of Poland, who has been repeatedly asked about it at press conferences and other occasions. This situation is considered correct because the existing system allows for minimal problems in purchasing medications for sick relatives, children, disabled individuals, and so on.

HOW TO CHECK MEDICATION AVAILABILITY IN PHARMACIES?

  • ktomalek.pl
  • gdziepolek.pl

In Poland, there is no general aggregator of pharmacies with prices, such as liki24.com in Ukraine. Pharmacies do not publish prices for medications online. Prices for the same medications in pharmacies of the same chain can vary.

Tip: Ordering medications from pharmacies online with delivery, for example, to a parcel locker, can be significantly cheaper than buying them at a brick-and-mortar pharmacy.

COMMERCIAL LABORATORIES AVAILABLE IN THE POLISH MARKET

The largest are:

  • alablaboratoria.pl
  • diag.pl
  • synevo.pl

Which one is better? All laboratories undergo accreditation, internal and external audits, so the term “better” cannot be applied. Their prices are approximately the same.

Is a referral necessary? A referral is not needed for paid services (except for X-rays).

Of course, I remind you that you can always conduct tests covered by NFZ at clinics upon referral from a family doctor. Although not all tests are covered by NFZ, the majority are. The quality, from personal experience, is not worse, but it does take time to get an appointment with a doctor.

CAN YOU HAVE AN X-RAY/CT/MRI WITHOUT A REFERRAL?

For radiological examinations, such as X-rays and CT scans, a referral from a doctor is necessary since these investigations involve radiation exposure.

An MRI without contrast can be done without a referral at a fee. With contrast – only with a referral. There are contraindications to the administration of contrast materials; furthermore, before performing the study with contrast, kidney function must be evaluated (biochemistry – urea and creatinine).

♥ Support

Medical tests in Poland

About Blogger Man 96 Articles
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