Medical Certificates for University in Spain: Missed Exams, Attendance and the Justificante Médico

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University & Exam Absences in Spain

Medical Certificates for University in Spain: Missed Exams, Attendance & the Justificante Médico

Fall ill before an exam at a Spanish university and you enter a process called evaluación por incidencias. Whether you can reschedule — and what document you need — depends on your university, and the rules are not the same everywhere. This is the complete, sourced map for international, Erasmus and exchange students.

⚕ PrescribeMe Medical Team Licensed Spanish Physicians Updated June 2026

In this guide

1. How a missed exam works: evaluación por incidencias 2. The one question that matters: official certificate, private justificante, or public-system report? 3. What makes a medical certificate valid in Spain 4. University-by-university guide (30+ institutions) 5. Mandatory attendance, labs, language courses and placements 6. Exam clashes: no medical certificate needed 7. University entrance exams (EBAU/PAU): the public-system exception 8. What to do if you fall ill before an exam 9. What a student medical certificate costs in 2026 10. Frequently asked questions 11. What genuinely varies or is contested 12. Sources & references

If you are studying in Spain on Erasmus, an exchange, or a full degree, this scenario is more common than you would think: you wake up genuinely ill on the morning of a final exam, or a fever keeps you out of a week of mandatory classes, and your faculty asks for a justificante médico before it will let you reschedule or excuse the absence. In a foreign country, in a language you may not speak fluently, with a deadline ticking, that is a stressful place to be — and most English-language guidance on it is either wrong or dangerously vague.

Spain hosts more of these students than anywhere else in Europe. It is the world's leading Erasmus+ destination, receiving close to 200,000 Erasmus+ participants in 2023 — the most of any EU country — and the Spanish university system recorded a high of 149,278 inbound international students in 2022–2023, up more than 10% year on year, according to the Ministry of Universities. Italy, France, Colombia, China and the United States send the largest contingents, and the highest concentrations are in Navarra, Castilla y León, Catalonia, the Valencian Community and Madrid.

#1

Spain is the world's top Erasmus destination — and every one of those students is subject to the rules below the moment they miss an exam.

The good news: there is a well-defined, lawful route to sit a missed exam or excuse a justified absence. The catch is that the route — and the exact document it requires — is set by each university, and sometimes each faculty. This guide explains the common mechanism, the single distinction that trips most students up, and then the specific rules at the universities that host the most international students.

How a Missed Exam Works: Evaluación por Incidencias

When you cannot sit an exam for a justified reason, you are not simply marked as failed. You request what almost every Spanish university calls evaluación por incidencias (in Catalan, avaluació per incidències; sometimes examen de incidencias or prueba de incidencias): a separate sitting of the same exam, on an alternative date.

The framework comes from the Estatuto del Estudiante Universitario (Real Decreto 1791/2010), which guarantees students certain rights around assessment, but the operational rules live in each university's normativa de evaluación y calificación. The shape is consistent across institutions, with the details — article number, deadline, who decides — varying:

Step	What happens
1. Notify & apply	Submit a request (a form, the sede electrónica, or an email) to the named authority — usually the course coordinator, head of department, jefatura de estudios, or the dean's office — stating the reason and attaching your medical certificate.
2. Meet the deadline	For foreseeable absences, apply in advance (often 7–15 working days). For sudden illness — a causa sobrevenida — you can usually apply the same day or within a short window afterward (48 hours to 5 days, depending on the university).
3. The faculty decides	A genuine, documented medical reason is normally accepted. Reasons the rules explicitly reject include leisure travel, driving tests and anything you could have planned around.
4. New date is set	The faculty or department fixes the alternative exam date. If you then sit the original exam anyway, your incidencias request is voided — never do both.

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The One Question That Matters: Which Document Do You Actually Need?

This is where most guides — and many students — go wrong. There are three different documents that can prove illness, and Spanish universities do not all accept the same one. Getting this right is the difference between a clean rescheduling and a rejected request.

Document	Who can issue it	When you need it
Ordinary justificante médicoA dated, signed doctor's note	Any colegiado physician — public, private or telemedicine	The default. Accepted for most universities' incidencias and for attendance absences.
Certificado médico oficialThe official OMC numbered form	Any colegiado physician on the official form (not public-system only)	Required by Andalusian universities such as Granada and Málaga.
Public-system reportCentro de salud or hospital urgencias	Public health service physician (SAS, SERMAS, CatSalut, etc.)	Typically required for university entrance exams (EBAU/PAU) and a small number of faculties.

The crucial nuance most guides get wrong: the certificado médico oficial is not a public-system document. It is the official form edited by the Consejo General de Colegios Oficiales de Médicos (CGCOM/OMC), and any registered physician — including a private one — can issue it. So when Granada or Málaga require an "official certificate," that does not mean you must go to a public centro de salud; it means the document must be on the official form. For ordinary university exams elsewhere, an ordinary justificante from any colegiado is enough.

As a rule of thumb: most universities in Madrid, Catalonia, the Valencian Community and the Basque Country accept any documentary proof signed by a registered physician. Andalusian universities lean toward requiring the official certificate. And entrance exams are the one context where the public health system is usually the only accepted source. When you are unsure, the official certificate or a public-system report is accepted everywhere — so those are the safe choices for high-stakes situations.

What Makes a Medical Certificate Valid in Spain

Spanish law defines a medical certificate in Article 3 of Ley 41/2002 as the written declaration of a doctor attesting to a person's state of health at a given moment, and Article 22 gives every patient the right to obtain one. Whatever the format, your faculty will check that the document carries a short, specific set of features. A certificate missing the registration number or a clear date is the most common reason a faculty bounces it back.

Must include	Why it matters
Physician's name & colegiado number	This is how the faculty verifies the certificate is real and the doctor is registered.
Signature	Handwritten or a qualified electronic signature; both are legally valid under the eIDAS framework.
Issue date	Set on the day the certificate is issued. A certificate cannot lawfully be back-dated to attest illness the doctor did not witness.
Statement of incapacity	That you were unfit to attend on the relevant date(s). The diagnosis itself is not required and is protected by patient confidentiality.
Spanish language	It is a Spanish administrative document; that is the version your secretaría processes.

Telemedicine certificates are legally valid. A certificate issued and signed by a Spanish-registered physician after an online consultation has the same legal weight as one issued in person, under the Ley de Ordenación de las Profesiones Sanitarias (LOPS 44/2003), the eIDAS Regulation (EU 910/2014) and Chapter XXIII of the 2022 CGCOM Code of Medical Deontology. The CGCOM's only caveats are that the issuing physician must be identifiable by name and number and that the medical act be recorded — not that the consultation be face to face.

One thing a private or online doctor cannot issue is the parte médico de baja, the document that opens paid sick leave (incapacidad temporal) through Social Security — that is reserved to public-system and mutua physicians under Real Decreto 625/2014. For students, this almost never matters: justifying an academic absence needs a justificante or an official certificate, not a baja.

University-by-University Guide

Below are the rules at the institutions that host the most international students, grouped by city and region. For each we give where the rule lives (and, where verifiable, the article number), the deadline, and which document the university expects. Regulations are periodically amended and faculties add their own procedures, so always confirm the current article and deadline on your own centre's website or with its secretaría.

Barcelona & Catalonia

University	Rule & deadline	Document & who decides
Universitat de Barcelona (UB)	Normativa reguladora de l'avaluació i qualificació (2024). Notify immediately; alternative test set by the professor.	Any colegiado; request via the cap d'estudis or coordinator.
Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)	Normativa acadèmica, Art. 115 (assessment calendar). Exceptional, duly justified cause; faculty reprograms.	Any colegiado; faculty "reprogramació de prova" form.
Pompeu Fabra (UPF)	Normativa acadèmica de grau, Art. 11.5.3 (renúncia for force majeure). Written request to the dean within 7 days; resolved in 10.	Any colegiado; dean decides. Note: an alternative test is not guaranteed.
Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)	NAGRAMA; handled at school (ETS) level.	Any colegiado; apply to your escola.
Rovira i Virgili (URV, Tarragona)	Normativa Acadèmica i de Matrícula de Grau (around Art. 20).	Any colegiado; centre level.

Girona (UdG) and the Ramon Llull schools (ESADE, La Salle, IQS) regulate incidencias at centre level; confirm the procedure with your faculty, as these were not verifiable at article level from a single official source.

Madrid

University	Rule & deadline	Document & who decides
Complutense (UCM)	No single university-wide rule; faculty exam normativas. Estatuto del Estudiante UCM Art. 19 lets the Decanato arbitrate exam clashes.	Any colegiado; apply to the faculty / Jefatura de Estudios.
Autónoma de Madrid (UAM)	Normativa de Evaluación Académica (2023, mod. 2024), Art. 10. Min. 7 working days' notice (15 for clashes), except sudden cause.	Any colegiado; documentary proof, no public-system requirement.
Carlos III (UC3M)	No grado-wide incidencias rule; each centre issues instructions. Uses a dispensa granted by the Vicedecano.	Any colegiado; apply to your centre.
Politécnica (UPM), Rey Juan Carlos (URJC), Alcalá (UAH)	Own normativas de evaluación; incidents handled at centre/department level.	Any colegiado; apply to your centre.
Comillas (private)	Normas Académicas; uses dispensa de escolaridad and anulación de convocatoria for illness.	Any colegiado; apply to the Jefe de Estudios / Decano.
IE, Europea, Nebrija, CEU (private)	Own academic regulations; attendance often stricter. Confirm with your coordinator.	Any colegiado (verify per institution).

Granada — the strict case

Granada (UGR) requires the official certificate. Article 9 ("Evaluación por incidencias") of the UGR's Normativa de evaluación y de calificación de los estudiantes lists, among the valid grounds, illness "debidamente justificada a través de certificado médico oficial." You apply through the sede electrónica to the Dirección del Departamento responsible for the subject; if no date is agreed, the department fixes one at least 3 calendar days after notification. For sudden illness, submit "a la mayor brevedad posible." An ordinary note may not be enough here — use the official OMC form or a public-system report.

Valencia & Alicante

University	Rule & deadline	Document & who decides
Universitat de València (UV)	Reglament d'Avaluació i Qualificació, Art. 9 (procediment d'incidències).	Any colegiado; the facultat/escola assesses the justification.
Politècnica de València (UPV)	NRAEE 016/2022. Request to the responsible professor; centre rules often require ~4 working days, except sudden cause.	Any colegiado; department director decides if refused.
Alicante (UA) & Miguel Hernández (UMH)	No common UA rule; each centre regulates clashes (e.g., 15 days' notice). UMH has its own normativa.	Any colegiado; apply to your centre.

Seville & Andalusia

University	Rule & deadline	Document & who decides
Universidad de Sevilla (US)	Normativa Reguladora de la Evaluación (2009/2010). Art. 18 covers official representation/elite athletes; the illness route is handled by the faculty (Art. 20 "incidencias" was left without content).	Faculty practice favours the official certificate; apply to the responsible professor / faculty.
Pablo de Olavide (UPO)	Normativa de Régimen Académico, Art. 19 (exam coincidence; 15 days' notice).	Any colegiado for illness; apply to the professor.
Málaga (UMA)	Normativa de evaluación (2019), Art. 5 ("Evaluación por incidencias"). For sudden cause, send documentation within 48 hours.	Requires "informe o certificado médico oficial"; apply to the centre / department / coordinator.
Córdoba (UCO) & Cádiz (UCA)	Own normativas de evaluación; Andalusian official-certificate pattern.	Lean toward the official certificate; confirm with your faculty.

Salamanca & Castile

University	Rule & deadline	Document & who decides
Salamanca (USAL)	Reglamento de Evaluación (2025). The Comisión de Docencia del Centro may authorise alternative assessment dates for justified reasons. A major hub for language and exchange students with mandatory-attendance courses.	Any colegiado; apply to the centre.
Valladolid (UVa)	Reglamento de Ordenación Académica; incidents at centre level.	Any colegiado; apply to your centre.

Basque Country, Navarre, Galicia & the North

University	Rule & deadline	Document & who decides
País Vasco (UPV/EHU)	Normativa de Evaluación (2016/2017); Reglamento del Estudiantado, Title V. Right to a justificante after each test.	Any colegiado; documentary proof, no public-system requirement.
Navarra (private, Pamplona)	Normativa general sobre la evaluación. No dedicated illness article; the faculty's Junta Directiva sets the procedure.	Any colegiado; apply to the Decano. (Distinct from public UPNA.)
Deusto (private, Bilbao)	Own evaluation regulations; confirm with your faculty.	Any colegiado (verify).
Santiago de Compostela (USC)	Normativa de avaliación (2011). No formal illness make-up centrally; Art. 4.3 lets the dean modify dates for force majeure / supervening impossibility.	Documentation standard delegated to faculties; confirm with the secretaría.
Oviedo (Asturias)	Reglamento de evaluación (2013, mod. 2025), Art. 15 ("Ausencia justificada"). Accredit to the dean within 5 days; exam reprogrammed ±15 working days.	Any colegiado; public vs private not specified.
Zaragoza (UNIZAR)	Reglamento de Normas de Evaluación (2010, mod. 2023), Art. 5. Anulación de convocatoria for force majeure via the Comisión de Permanencia; clashes need 15 days' notice.	Any colegiado; apply to your centre.
Cantabria (UC) & A Coruña (UDC)	UC Reglamento de Procesos de Evaluación, Art. 34–35 (centre may exceptionally authorise a change). UDC has its own normativa.	Any colegiado; apply to your centre.

Distance & online universities

UNED and the UOC follow their own academic regulations, and their distance methodology changes how incidents are handled — typically through alternative test windows rather than a single rescheduled sitting. Check your guía docente and the assessment regulations on the virtual campus.

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Mandatory Attendance, Labs, Language Courses & Placements

Missed exams are not the only reason students need a certificate. Many courses carry mandatory attendance: language classes, laboratory sessions, seminars, studio work and clinical placements often require a minimum number of hours, and Erasmus and exchange programmes — and most private universities — are frequently stricter about this than a standard lecture course. Salamanca's language programmes are a classic example.

When illness keeps you out of those sessions, the certificate protects your attendance record and your continuous-assessment marks. Submit it directly to the professor or programme coordinator promptly — ideally the same week — and keep a copy. Unlike an exam incidencia, an attendance absence is usually justified informally to the teaching staff rather than through a formal departmental request, but the same valid certificate is what they expect to see.

Exam Clashes: No Medical Certificate Needed

One situation students often mistake for an incidencia is a timetable clash — two exams of different subjects scheduled at the same time. This is a recognised ground in its own right and does not require any medical document. The Estatuto del Estudiante Universitario protects students from having global exams of different subjects of the same year coincide, and universities set rules for which subject moves (commonly the higher-course or the optional subject gives way). The catch is the deadline: clashes are foreseeable, so most universities require advance notice — frequently 15 days. If your problem is a clash rather than illness, use the coincidencia procedure; do not request a medical certificate you do not need.

University Entrance Exams (EBAU/PAU): The Public-System Exception

The clearest case where a private or telemedicine certificate is not sufficient is the university entrance exam — variously called the EBAU, EvAU, PAU or, colloquially, Selectividad. Because these are high-stakes, regionally administered exams, the autonomous communities route illness incidents through a special tribunal de incidencias and generally require documentation from the public health system: a report from a public centro de salud or a hospital emergency department stating that the student was unfit to sit the exam on the specific day. If you are sitting an entrance exam and fall ill, go to the public system and follow the tribunal's instructions — do not rely on a private certificate.

What to Do If You Fall Ill Before an Exam

If you are an international student and you wake up unwell before an exam, the sequence below gives you the best chance of a clean rescheduling.

Do this	Detail
1. Act the same day, in writing	Email the course coordinator and the faculty secretaría before the exam if at all possible. The sudden-illness windows are short (48 hours to 5 days).
2. Get the right document	Default to a justificante from a colegiado physician. For Granada, Málaga and other Andalusian universities, get the certificado médico oficial. For an entrance exam, use the public system.
3. Cite the article	Reference your university's specific provision when you apply (e.g., UGR Art. 9, UMA Art. 5, UV Art. 9, Oviedo Art. 15, UAM Art. 10) — it speeds resolution.
4. Keep copies & confirm	Save the certificate and your submission. Confirm the new date in writing, and do not sit the original exam once incidencias is requested.

An honest word on what a certificate is for. A certificate reflects a genuine medical assessment, so request one when you are actually unwell — a doctor issues it only where it is clinically appropriate. If your problem is a timetable clash or a personal scheduling difficulty rather than illness, use the coincidencia de exámenes route or speak to your faculty directly; both are legitimate and neither needs a medical document.

What a Student Medical Certificate Costs in 2026

Option	Typical 2026 cost	Notes
PrescribeMe online justificanteLicensed Spanish physician, issued in Spanish	€20	Digitally signed, sent to your phone, no video call.
Public-system attendance slip	Free	Requires a centro de salud appointment; confirms the visit only.
Private in-person justificante	€30–100	Walk-in private clinic or GP.
Certificado médico oficial (form + exam)	€30–80	The official OMC form alone is ~€3.63; the rest is the consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my Spanish university accept a private doctor's justificante?

For most universities and ordinary situations — a missed exam or missed classes due to illness — yes. The exceptions are Andalusian universities such as Granada and Málaga (which require the certificado médico oficial) and university entrance exams (which require public-system documentation). Always confirm with your faculty's secretaría.

What is evaluación por incidencias?

The formal process for sitting an exam on an alternative date when you could not sit the original for a justified reason — illness being the most common. Almost every Spanish university regulates it in a numbered article of its normativa de evaluación.

I already missed the exam — is it too late?

Usually not, if you act fast. Most universities require advance notice for foreseeable absences but allow a request after the exam for sudden illness, within a short window (48 hours at Málaga, within 5 days at Oviedo, "as soon as possible" at Granada). Submit the same day or the next working day.

Does the certificate have to be the certificado médico oficial?

It depends on the university. The official certificate is the OMC form and can be issued by any colegiado — public or private. Granada and Málaga require it; many other universities accept any documentary proof from a registered physician. When unsure, the official certificate or a public-system report is accepted everywhere.

Do I need a public-health-system certificate?

For ordinary university exams and class absences, no. The main case that requires a public centro de salud or hospital report is the university entrance exam (EBAU/PAU), and occasionally specific faculties.

Is an online or telemedicine certificate valid?

Yes. A certificate issued and signed by a Spanish-registered physician after an online consultation has the same legal validity as one issued in person, under the LOPS, the eIDAS framework and the 2022 CGCOM Code. It must identify the doctor by name and colegiado number.

Does the certificate need to be in Spanish?

Yes. It is a Spanish administrative document, and that is what your faculty processes. A foreign note may be accepted by some faculties if translated, but a Spanish certificate from a Spanish-registered doctor is the safest.

Can I use it for mandatory attendance, labs or language classes?

Yes. Submit it to the professor or programme coordinator promptly. In continuous assessment, an unjustified absence can cost marks, so documenting a genuine illness is worth doing properly.

Two of my exams clash — do I need a medical certificate?

No. A clash between exams of different subjects is its own recognised ground, separate from illness, and needs no medical document. Notify your faculty in advance — many require 15 days' notice.

I'm an Erasmus or exchange student — does this apply to me?

Yes. Exchange students sit the same exams and follow the same incidencias procedure, and attendance rules are often stricter. Submit your certificate through the host faculty's secretaría or your coordinator.

How fast and how much?

Through PrescribeMe, €20, signed digitally and sent to your phone, with no video call. A private in-person justificante typically costs €30–100; a public-system attendance slip is free but requires an appointment.

What Genuinely Varies or Is Contested

A few points deserve honesty rather than false certainty. University rules differ not only between institutions but between faculties, and article numbers are periodically renumbered when regulations are amended — always verify the current text on your centre's site. The line between an "official certificate" requirement and acceptance of any justificante is sometimes applied loosely by individual faculties, which is why the official OMC form or a public-system report is the safe choice when stakes are high. Universities such as Santiago de Compostela and Navarra do not set a dedicated illness make-up article centrally, delegating both procedure and documentation standard to faculties. And while telemedicine certificates are legally valid, an individual professor may still prefer an in-person assessment for a sudden illness — a practical preference, not a legal barrier. Several private universities (IE, Universidad Europea, Nebrija, CEU, Deusto) and a few public ones publish their rules only at faculty level; for those, the faculty secretaría is the authoritative source.

Sources & References

All regulatory references in this article are drawn from primary sources: official university evaluation regulations, regional gazettes, CGCOM guidance and government statistics, verified in June 2026. Key sources:

1. Estatuto del Estudiante Universitario, Real Decreto 1791/2010 — BOE-A-2010-20147.
2. Universidad de Granada, Normativa de evaluación y de calificación de los estudiantes (Art. 9, evaluación por incidencias) — consolidated text (PDF); faculty procedure — UGR Filosofía y Letras.
3. Universidad de Málaga, Normativa reguladora de los procesos de evaluación (Art. 5) — UMA evaluación por incidencias.
4. Universitat de València, Reglament d'Avaluació i Qualificació (Art. 9). Universitat Politècnica de València, criterios de evaluación — UPV (PDF).
5. Universidad de Sevilla, Normativa Reguladora de la Evaluación y Calificación — US (PDF).
6. Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Normativa de coincidencia de exámenes — UCM (PDF).
7. Universitat de Barcelona, Normativa reguladora de l'avaluació i la qualificació — UB (PDF).
8. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, evaluación única / normativa acadèmica — UAB.
9. Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Normativa acadèmica dels ensenyaments de grau — UPF.
10. Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Reglamento del Estudiantado / justificante de asistencia a examen — EHU.
11. Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Normativa de avaliación do rendemento académico (DOG 21/07/2011) — DOG.
12. Universidad de Oviedo, Reglamento de evaluación (Art. 15, ausencia justificada) — Uniovi (PDF).
13. Universidad de Zaragoza, Reglamento de Normas de Evaluación / coincidencia de exámenes — UNIZAR.
14. Universidad de Salamanca, repositorio de normativa (Reglamento de Evaluación) — USAL.
15. Example faculty incidencias procedure (deadlines for sudden cause) — USJ declaración de imposibilidad.
16. Ley 41/2002, de autonomía del paciente (definition of a medical certificate) — BOE-A-2002-22188.
17. Erasmus+ statistics, Spain — European Commission; international-student trends — ICEF Monitor; EU Education and Training Monitor: Spain.

Need a justificante médico for your university?

Exam deferral Class absence Attendance Late assignment Erasmus & exchange

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€20 · Licensed Spanish physicians · Digitally signed · Sent to your phone

Rx

PrescribeMe Medical Team

Licensed Physicians · Registered with the Colegio Oficial de Médicos

PrescribeMe is an online medical service staffed by licensed Spanish physicians registered with the Colegio de Médicos. We help English-speaking students, tourists, expats and residents in Spain access medical documentation without language barriers. The regulatory references in this article are drawn from primary sources — official university regulations, regional gazettes, CGCOM guidance and government statistics — verified in June 2026. This article is general information about university procedures, not medical or legal advice; acceptance rules are set by each university and faculty and can change, so always confirm with your faculty's secretaría.

Medication Names in Spain: US and UK Brand Equivalents (2026)

PrescribeMe › Health Guide › Medication Names in Spain

Spain Pharmacy Guide

Medication Names in Spain: US and UK Brand Equivalents (2026)

Tylenol is Gelocatil. Advil is Neobrufen. Lipitor is Cardyl. A verified, AEMPS-sourced directory of what your medication is called in a Spanish pharmacy.

⚕ PrescribeMe Medical Team · Licensed Spanish Physicians · Updated May 2026

In this guide 1. Why brand names differ across countries 2. Quick reference: 20 most-searched medications 3. Pain relief and fever 4. Antibiotics 5. Respiratory and allergy 6. Gastrointestinal 7. Cardiovascular and metabolic 8. Antivirals and antifungals 9. Reproductive health and contraception 10. Mental health, anxiety and sleep 11. Erectile dysfunction 12. Dermatology, eye, ear and emergency 13. The Nolotil situation 14. OTC in one country, Rx in another 15. FAQ 16. What is genuinely ambiguous, recently changed, or contested

A box of paracetamol in Madrid says Gelocatil on the front. The exact same molecule in Manchester says Panadol; in Manhattan it says Tylenol. None of the three boxes mention the others. For a tourist trying to refill medication or buy something familiar, this is the central problem of foreign pharmacy: the active ingredient is the same, the dose is often the same, but every country has overwritten the box with a different commercial name.

This directory matches roughly 80 of the medications that tourists, expats and digital nomads most often look for in Spain to their US and UK brand equivalents. Every Spanish brand has been verified against the AEMPS database CIMA (the Spanish drug regulator) or Vademecum, and is currently marketed in Spain. US brands are verified against the FDA Orange Book and DailyMed; UK brands against the BNF and MHRA.

Two things to internalise before reading the tables. First: Spanish pharmacists work from the principio activo (active ingredient), not the brand. Show them the box and they will find the local equivalent in seconds. Second: a medication being a familiar OTC purchase at home does not guarantee it is OTC in Spain — and vice versa. Codeine combinations, salbutamol inhalers and 600 mg ibuprofen all need a Spanish prescription. Paracetamol 1 g, ulipristal emergency contraception and most antihistamines do not.

~80 medications cross-mapped between Spain, the US and the UK, with current Rx/OTC status verified against AEMPS CIMA

1. Why brand names differ across countries

A pharmaceutical brand is a marketing licence, not a global trademark. When a drug is approved in each country, the originator company (or a licensee) registers a local name that the national regulator accepts. Sometimes the same name travels — Viagra, Augmentin and Imodium are recognisable almost everywhere — but more often, marketing strategy, trademark conflicts, language preferences and local acquisitions produce different brands for the identical molecule.

Three forces drive divergence specifically between Spain, the US and the UK:

Generic substitution rules. Spanish law obliges pharmacists to dispense the cheapest bioequivalent generic unless the prescriber writes no sustituir. Most boxes carry a generic name (for example Omeprazol Cinfa or Atorvastatina Normon) plus the EFG mark (Equivalente Farmacéutico Genérico). The originator brand is dispensed less often, which means the "famous" Spanish name is sometimes a generic-house brand rather than the original.

Different licence holders. Lipitor in Spain is sold as Cardyl and Zarator (both Pfizer); Synthroid in Spain is Eutirox (Merck); Reglan is Primperan (Sanofi). The patent owner often licenses a different brand to a different European partner, producing parallel names that never made the jump across the Atlantic.

USAN vs INN. The US Adopted Name occasionally differs from the international nonproprietary name used in Europe. The two pairs that catch travellers most often: acetaminophen (US) = paracetamol (Spain and UK), and albuterol (US) = salbutamol (Spain and UK). The molecule is identical; only the nomenclature differs.

If you only remember one rule: read the box for the active ingredient. The Latin-rooted versions used in Spain are usually obvious from the English (atorvastatina, amoxicilina, omeprazol, sertralina, levotiroxina). When in doubt, hand the pharmacist the original package.

2. Quick reference: 20 most-searched medications

The fastest answer for the most common questions. Each row is expanded in the category sections that follow, with prescription status, Spanish-specific notes and ambiguity flags.

Active ingredient	🇪🇸 Spain	🇺🇸 US	🇬🇧 UK	Use
Paracetamol / acetaminophen	Gelocatil, Termalgin	Tylenol	Panadol, Calpol	Pain, fever
Ibuprofen	Neobrufen, Espidifen	Advil, Motrin	Nurofen, Brufen	Pain, fever, inflammation
Metamizol (dipyrone)	Nolotil	Not licensed	Not licensed	Moderate–severe pain, fever
Aspirin / acetylsalicylic acid	Aspirina, Adiro (100 mg cardio)	Bayer, Ecotrin	Aspirin, Disprin	Pain, antiplatelet
Amoxicillin + clavulanic acid	Augmentine	Augmentin	Augmentin, Co-amoxiclav	Antibiotic
Azithromycin	Zitromax	Zithromax (Z-Pak)	Zithromax	Antibiotic
Fosfomycin	Monurol	Monurol	Monuril	UTI (single dose)
Salbutamol / albuterol	Ventolin	ProAir, Proventil, Ventolin HFA	Ventolin, Salamol	Asthma rescue inhaler
Fluticasone (inhaled)	Flixotide	Flovent, Arnuity Ellipta	Flixotide	Asthma preventer
Loratadine	Clarityne	Claritin	Clarityn	Antihistamine
Cetirizine	Zyrtec, Alerlisin	Zyrtec	Zirtek, Piriteze	Antihistamine
Omeprazole	Losec, Omeprazol EFG	Prilosec	Losec	Acid reflux
Loperamide	Fortasec	Imodium A-D	Imodium	Diarrhoea
Atorvastatin	Cardyl, Zarator	Lipitor	Lipitor	Cholesterol
Metformin	Dianben	Glucophage	Glucophage	Type 2 diabetes
Levothyroxine	Eutirox	Synthroid	Eltroxin, Levothyroxine	Hypothyroidism
Sertraline	Besitran	Zoloft	Lustral	SSRI antidepressant
Lorazepam	Orfidal, Idalprem	Ativan	Lorazepam (generic)	Anxiety
Sildenafil	Viagra	Viagra	Viagra	Erectile dysfunction
Levonorgestrel (emergency)	Norlevo, Postinor	Plan B One-Step	Levonelle	Morning-after pill

3. Pain relief and fever

Spain's painkiller shelf reflects a continental European prescribing culture: 1 g paracetamol is standard, ibuprofen is mostly bought as 400 mg, and metamizol (Nolotil) — a drug not licensed in the US or UK at all — outsells paracetamol in Spanish primary care. Codeine combinations require a prescription in Spain, unlike in the UK where co-codamol 8/500 is a pharmacy purchase.

Active ingredient	🇪🇸 Spain	🇺🇸 US	🇬🇧 UK	Use / class	Rx in Spain?
Paracetamol / acetaminophenStandard adult dose in Spain: 1 g	Gelocatil, Termalgin, Apiretal (paediatric drops), Efferalgan	Tylenol	Panadol, Calpol (paediatric)	Analgesic / antipyretic	OTC
Ibuprofen 400 mg	Neobrufen, Espidifen (mint sachet, arginate salt), Ibuprofeno EFG, Dalsy (paediatric)	Advil, Motrin	Nurofen, Brufen	NSAID	OTC
Ibuprofen 600 mg	Neobrufen 600, Espidifen 600	Rx generic	Rx generic	NSAID, higher dose	Rx
Metamizol (dipyrone) 575 mg	Nolotil (Boehringer), Algi-Mabo, Metamizol EFG	Not approved	Not approved	Pyrazolone analgesic / antipyretic / spasmolytic	Rx (since AEMPS 2018 restriction)
Aspirin / acetylsalicylic acid 500 mg	Aspirina, AAS EFG	Bayer, Bufferin, Ecotrin	Aspirin, Disprin	NSAID / antiplatelet	OTC
Acetylsalicylic acid 100 mg (cardioprotective)	Adiro 100, Tromalyt	Bayer Low Dose, Ecotrin 81 mg	Aspirin 75 mg dispersible	Antiplatelet, secondary prevention	Rx
Dexketoprofen 25 mg	Enantyum (Menarini), Quiralam, Ketesse	Not approved	Keral (Rx)	NSAID, fast-acting	Rx
Naproxen 500 / 550 mg	Naprosyn, Antalgin, Naproxeno EFG	Aleve (OTC), Naprosyn (Rx)	Naprosyn, Naproxen (Rx)	NSAID, longer half-life	Rx
Diclofenac 50 mg	Voltaren, Diclofenaco EFG	Voltaren (oral Rx; gel OTC)	Voltarol, Voltarol Emulgel (OTC)	NSAID	Rx (gel OTC)
Paracetamol + codeine	Cod-Efferalgan, Termalgin Codeína	Tylenol with Codeine #3 (Rx)	Co-codamol 8/500 (P, OTC); higher strengths Rx	Opioid combination analgesic	Rx
Tramadol 50 mg	Adolonta, Zaldiar (with paracetamol)	Ultram, Ultracet	Zydol, Tramacet	Opioid analgesic	Rx (controlled)

Tourist warning — codeine. Anything containing codeine, dihydrocodeine or tramadol requires a prescription in Spain. British visitors used to picking up Nurofen Plus or co-codamol 8/500 from a UK pharmacy counter cannot do the same here. Bring a supply, or expect to see a doctor.

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4. Antibiotics

Every antibiotic in Spain requires a prescription — there are no exceptions, despite older travel guides suggesting otherwise. Pharmacist dispensing without a prescription has been actively restricted under AEMPS rules since the antimicrobial-stewardship reforms of the last decade.

Active ingredient	🇪🇸 Spain	🇺🇸 US	🇬🇧 UK	Common use	Rx in Spain?
Amoxicillin	Clamoxyl, Amoxicilina EFG	Amoxil	Amoxil, Amoxicillin	Respiratory, dental, ENT infections	Rx
Amoxicillin + clavulanic acid	Augmentine (GSK)	Augmentin	Augmentin, Co-amoxiclav	Sinusitis, dental abscess, complicated UTI	Rx
Azithromycin	Zitromax (Pfizer), Azitromicina EFG	Zithromax, Z-Pak	Zithromax	Atypical pneumonia, chlamydia	Rx
Clarithromycin	Klacid, Bremon	Biaxin	Klaricid	Macrolide alternative, H. pylori	Rx
Ciprofloxacin	Baycip (Bayer), Cetraxal (otic), Ciprofloxacino EFG	Cipro	Ciproxin	UTI, traveller's diarrhoea, otitis externa	Rx
Fosfomycin trometamol 3 g	Monurol	Monurol	Monuril	Uncomplicated UTI, single dose	Rx
Nitrofurantoin	Furantoína	Macrobid, Macrodantin	Macrobid, Macrodantin	UTI prophylaxis and treatment	Rx
Doxycycline	Vibracina (Pfizer), Doxiclat, Proderma	Vibramycin, Doryx, Oracea (low-dose rosacea)	Vibramycin-D, Efracea (rosacea)	Acne, rosacea, atypical infections, malaria prophylaxis	Rx
Metronidazole	Flagyl	Flagyl	Flagyl	Anaerobic, bacterial vaginosis, dental, giardiasis	Rx
Clindamycin	Dalacin, Clinwas (topical)	Cleocin	Dalacin C	Skin, dental (penicillin allergy)	Rx
Cephalexin	Kefloridina, Cefalexina EFG	Keflex	Keflex (limited UK use)	Skin and soft tissue infections	Rx
Trimethoprim + sulfamethoxazole	Septrin	Bactrim, Septra	Septrin, Co-trimoxazole	UTI, PCP prophylaxis	Rx

5. Respiratory and allergy

Spain uses the international name salbutamol everywhere; the US uses albuterol for the same molecule. Ventolin is the dominant inhaler brand in both Spain and the UK. ProAir and Proventil are US-only brands that do not exist in Spanish pharmacies — bring an extra inhaler if your prescription is for one of these.

Active ingredient	🇪🇸 Spain	🇺🇸 US	🇬🇧 UK	Use / class	Rx in Spain?
Salbutamol (= albuterol) inhaler	Ventolin (GSK), Salbuair (nebules)	ProAir HFA, Proventil HFA, Ventolin HFA	Ventolin, Salamol, Airomir	Short-acting β2 agonist, asthma rescue	Rx
Fluticasone propionate inhaler	Flixotide (pMDI and Accuhaler)	Flovent HFA / Flovent Diskus (US Flovent discontinued by GSK in January 2024 in favour of an authorised generic fluticasone propionate)	Flixotide	Inhaled corticosteroid, asthma preventer	Rx
Fluticasone + salmeterol	Seretide, Anasma, Plusvent	Advair Diskus, Advair HFA, AirDuo	Seretide	ICS + LABA combination	Rx
Budesonide + formoterol	Symbicort, Rilast	Symbicort	Symbicort, Fostair	ICS + LABA combination	Rx
Montelukast	Singulair, Montelukast EFG	Singulair	Singulair	Leukotriene receptor antagonist	Rx
Loratadine	Clarityne (Bayer / Organon), Loratadina Cinfa	Claritin	Clarityn	Second-generation antihistamine	OTC
Cetirizine	Zyrtec (UCB), Alerlisin (Menarini), Reactine	Zyrtec	Zirtek, Piriteze, Benadryl Allergy (UK)	Second-generation antihistamine	OTC (most 10 mg packs)
Bilastine 20 mg	Bilaxten (FAES), Ibis, Obalix	Not FDA-approved (Hikma and FAES Farma signed an exclusive US licence agreement to commercialise bilastine tablets, announced 20 September 2021)	Ilaxten (Menarini)	Non-sedating antihistamine, Spanish-discovered	OTC
Ebastine	Ebastel	Not approved	Not licensed	Second-generation antihistamine	Rx
Pseudoephedrine	Frenadol (combination), Pseudoefedrina Cinfa	Sudafed	Sudafed (P, behind counter)	Nasal decongestant	Pharmacy-only (P), restricted quantities
Diphenhydramine	Soñodor (sleep aid)	Benadryl	Nytol	First-generation antihistamine / sleep aid	OTC (limited products)

Brand-name Benadryl means different molecules in different countries. In the US and Canada, Benadryl is diphenhydramine. In the UK and Spain, Benadryl-branded products generally contain cetirizine or acrivastine. Read the active ingredient before assuming the box delivers what you remember.

6. Gastrointestinal

Active ingredient	🇪🇸 Spain	🇺🇸 US	🇬🇧 UK	Use / class	Rx in Spain?
Omeprazole 20 mg	Losec (Cheplapharm), Omeprazol Cinfa / Normon EFG, Pepticum	Prilosec (OTC and Rx)	Losec, Omeprazole (OTC at pharmacy)	Proton pump inhibitor	Rx (20 mg); 10 mg OTC
Pantoprazole 20 / 40 mg	Pantecta, Anagastra (Takeda), Pantoprazol EFG	Protonix	Pantoloc Control 20 mg (OTC); pantoprazole generics Rx	Proton pump inhibitor	Rx
Esomeprazole	Nexium	Nexium (24HR OTC and Rx)	Nexium Control (OTC)	Proton pump inhibitor	Rx
Ranitidine	Withdrawn (NDMA contamination, 2019–2020)	Withdrawn	Withdrawn	H2 blocker	—
Famotidine	Famotidina EFG, Pepcid	Pepcid AC	Pepcid	H2 blocker	Rx
Loperamide	Fortasec (Kenvue), Loperamida EFG	Imodium A-D	Imodium	Anti-diarrhoeal	OTC
Metoclopramide 10 mg	Primperan (Sanofi)	Reglan	Maxolon	Antiemetic / prokinetic	Rx (short-term use only since EMA 2014 restriction)
Domperidone 10 mg	Motilium	Not FDA-approved	Generic domperidone	Antiemetic / prokinetic	Rx
Hyoscine butylbromide	Buscapina	Not FDA-approved (Levsin is the related US drug)	Buscopan	Antispasmodic for GI cramps	OTC
Racecadotril	Tiorfan	Not approved	Not licensed	Anti-secretory for acute diarrhoea	OTC
Almagate / aluminium-magnesium antacids	Almax	Maalox, Mylanta	Maalox, Gaviscon	Antacid	OTC

7. Cardiovascular and metabolic

Long-term medication for blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and thyroid is where the brand-translation question matters most for expats. Every drug in this section requires a Spanish prescription, but a Spanish doctor can issue one for any of the molecules below within a single consultation.

Active ingredient	🇪🇸 Spain	🇺🇸 US	🇬🇧 UK	Use / class
Atorvastatin	Cardyl, Zarator (Pfizer)	Lipitor	Lipitor	Statin
Simvastatin	Zocor (MSD), Pantok, Belmalip	Zocor	Zocor (mostly generic)	Statin
Rosuvastatin	Crestor, Provisacor	Crestor	Crestor	Statin
Amlodipine	Norvas (Viatris), Astudal	Norvasc	Istin (historical); generic amlodipine	Calcium-channel blocker
Ramipril	Acovil (Sanofi/Zentiva)	Altace	Tritace	ACE inhibitor
Enalapril	Renitec, Acetensil	Vasotec	Innovace	ACE inhibitor
Losartan	Cozaar	Cozaar	Cozaar	ARB
Bisoprolol	Emconcor, Euradal	Zebeta	Cardicor, Emcor	β-blocker
Propranolol	Sumial	Inderal	Inderal	Non-selective β-blocker
Furosemide	Seguril	Lasix	Lasix, Frusol	Loop diuretic
Hydrochlorothiazide	Esidrex; mostly as combinations (Co-Renitec, Co-Diovan)	Microzide	Generic HCTZ (rare alone)	Thiazide diuretic
Warfarin	Aldocumar	Coumadin, Jantoven	Marevan, Warfarin	Vitamin K antagonist
Apixaban	Eliquis	Eliquis	Eliquis	DOAC
Metformin	Dianben	Glucophage, Fortamet, Riomet	Glucophage	Biguanide, type 2 diabetes
Levothyroxine	Eutirox (Merck), Levothroid	Synthroid, Levoxyl, Unithroid, Tirosint	Eltroxin, Levothyroxine generic	Thyroid hormone replacement

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8. Antivirals and antifungals

Active ingredient	🇪🇸 Spain	🇺🇸 US	🇬🇧 UK	Use	Rx in Spain?
Aciclovir oral 200 / 400 / 800 mg	Zovirax (Haleon), Aciclovir EFG	Zovirax	Zovirax, generic aciclovir	Herpes simplex, zoster	Rx
Aciclovir 5% cream (cold sores)	Zovirax labial, Herpoticum	Zovirax cream, Sitavig	Zovirax cold sore cream	HSV labialis	OTC
Valaciclovir 500 / 1000 mg	Valtrex (GSK), Valaciclovir EFG	Valtrex	Valtrex, generic valaciclovir	Herpes simplex, zoster, suppression	Rx
Fluconazole 150 mg single dose	Diflucan (Pfizer), Fluconazol EFG	Diflucan	Diflucan, Canesten Oral 150 mg (OTC)	Vulvovaginal candidiasis	Rx
Clotrimazole vaginal cream / pessary	Gine-Canestén (Bayer)	Gyne-Lotrimin, Mycelex-7	Canesten	Vaginal candidiasis	OTC
Clotrimazole 1% skin cream	Canestén crema	Lotrimin AF	Canesten	Tinea, dermatophyte infections	OTC
Terbinafine 1% cream	Lamisil	Lamisil AT	Lamisil AT	Athlete's foot, ringworm	OTC
Oseltamivir	Tamiflu	Tamiflu	Tamiflu	Influenza antiviral	Rx
Nystatin oral suspension	Mycostatin	Mycostatin, Nystop	Nystan	Oral / oesophageal candidiasis	Rx

9. Reproductive health and contraception

Spain liberalised access to emergency contraception in September 2009 (levonorgestrel) and April 2015 (ulipristal). Both are sold over the counter at any pharmacy with no age restriction and no consultation required. Daily oral contraceptives, by contrast, require a prescription — they have never been OTC in Spain.

Active ingredient	🇪🇸 Spain	🇺🇸 US	🇬🇧 UK	Use	Rx in Spain?
Levonorgestrel 1.5 mg (emergency)	Norlevo (HRA), Postinor (Gedeon Richter)	Plan B One-Step, Next Choice One Dose, My Way	Levonelle, Upostelle	Morning-after pill, ≤72 h	OTC, no age limit
Ulipristal acetate 30 mg (emergency)	ellaOne	ella	ellaOne	Morning-after pill, ≤120 h	OTC since 2016
Ethinylestradiol + levonorgestrel	Microgynon, Loette, Ovoplex	Lessina, Levora, Aviane	Microgynon, Rigevidon, Ovranette	Combined oral contraceptive	Rx
Ethinylestradiol + drospirenone	Yasmin, Yasminelle, Yaz	Yaz, Yasmin, Beyaz	Yasmin, Yaz, Eloine	Combined oral contraceptive	Rx
Desogestrel 75 µg	Cerazet, Azalia	Slynd (drospirenone analogue)	Cerazette, Cerelle	Progestogen-only pill	Rx
Mifepristone	Mifegyne (hospital only)	Mifeprex	Mifegyne	Medical termination of pregnancy	Rx, hospital dispensing
Condoms	Supermarket and pharmacy	Supermarket and pharmacy	Supermarket and pharmacy	Barrier method	OTC, no pharmacy required

10. Mental health, anxiety and sleep

Antidepressants, anxiolytics and hypnotics all require a Spanish prescription. Benzodiazepines and Z-drugs (zolpidem) carry the additional receta blanca con visado rule for some controlled-list quantities. Spanish doctors are generally cautious about issuing new benzodiazepine prescriptions to short-term visitors without records of prior use.

Active ingredient	🇪🇸 Spain	🇺🇸 US	🇬🇧 UK	Use / class	Rx in Spain?
Sertraline	Besitran (Pfizer), Aremis (Esteve), Sertralina EFG	Zoloft	Lustral	SSRI	Rx
Escitalopram	Cipralex, Esertia	Lexapro	Cipralex	SSRI	Rx
Citalopram	Prisdal, Seropram	Celexa	Cipramil	SSRI	Rx
Fluoxetine	Prozac, Adofen, Reneuron	Prozac, Sarafem	Prozac	SSRI	Rx
Venlafaxine	Vandral, Dobupal	Effexor XR	Efexor XL	SNRI	Rx
Duloxetine	Cymbalta, Xeristar	Cymbalta	Cymbalta	SNRI	Rx
Bupropion	Elontril, Zyntabac (smoking cessation)	Wellbutrin XL, Zyban	Zyban (smoking cessation only)	NDRI	Rx
Lorazepam 1 mg	Orfidal (Pfizer), Idalprem	Ativan	Generic lorazepam	Benzodiazepine	Rx (controlled)
Alprazolam	Trankimazin	Xanax	Xanax, generic alprazolam	Benzodiazepine	Rx (controlled)
Diazepam	Valium, Diazepam Prodes	Valium	Valium, Diazemuls	Benzodiazepine	Rx (controlled)
Clonazepam	Rivotril	Klonopin	Rivotril, generic clonazepam	Benzodiazepine	Rx (controlled)
Zolpidem 10 mg	Stilnox (Sanofi), Dalparan, Zolpidem EFG	Ambien, Ambien CR, Edluar	Stilnoct	Z-drug hypnotic	Rx (controlled)
Zopiclone	Datolan, Limovan	Lunesta (eszopiclone, the active enantiomer)	Zimovane	Z-drug hypnotic	Rx
Melatonin 2 mg PR	Circadin (medicinal); supplement brands <2 mg: Aquilea Sueño, Forté Pharma 1.9 mg, ZzzQuil Natura	Natrol, Nature Made (supplement, OTC)	Circadin, Slenyto (all melatonin POM in UK)	Insomnia	<2 mg OTC (food supplement); ≥2 mg Rx

11. Erectile dysfunction

Active ingredient	🇪🇸 Spain	🇺🇸 US	🇬🇧 UK	Use	Rx in Spain?
Sildenafil	Viagra (Pfizer/Viatris), Sildenafilo EFG	Viagra	Viagra, Viagra Connect 50 mg (OTC at pharmacy since 2018)	PDE5 inhibitor	Rx
Tadalafil	Cialis (Lilly), Tadalafilo EFG	Cialis, Adcirca (PAH)	Cialis	PDE5 inhibitor, longer half-life	Rx
Vardenafil	Levitra	Levitra, Staxyn	Levitra (limited availability)	PDE5 inhibitor	Rx
Avanafil	Spedra	Stendra	Spedra	PDE5 inhibitor, fast onset	Rx

Sildenafil 50 mg is a pharmacy-counter purchase in the UK under the brand Viagra Connect. In Spain, all PDE5 inhibitors require a prescription. A short telemedicine consultation is the usual route.

12. Dermatology, eye, ear and emergency

Active ingredient	🇪🇸 Spain	🇺🇸 US	🇬🇧 UK	Use	Rx in Spain?
Hydrocortisone 1% cream	Lactisona, Hidrocortisona	Cortizone 10	HC45, Pharmacy Hydrocortisone	Mild eczema, dermatitis	Rx (1%); some 0.5% pharmacy
Mometasone furoate cream	Elocom	Elocon	Elocon	Moderate-potency topical steroid	Rx
Betamethasone topical	Celestoderm, Diproderm	Diprolene, Betaderm	Betnovate, Diprosone	Topical steroid	Rx
Mupirocin 2% ointment	Bactroban, Plasimine	Bactroban, Centany	Bactroban	Topical antibacterial (impetigo)	Rx
Permethrin 5% cream	Permecure, Sarcop	Elimite	Lyclear	Scabies treatment	Rx
Epinephrine (adrenaline) auto-injector 300 µg	Altellus, Jext (ALK-Abelló); Anapen (Bioprojet)	EpiPen, Auvi-Q, generic epinephrine auto-injector	EpiPen, Jext, Emerade (relaunched UK 2024)	Anaphylaxis rescue	Rx
Salbutamol nebules 2.5 / 5 mg	Ventolín Respirador, Salbuair	AccuNeb, Proventil nebuliser solution	Salamol, Ventolin nebules	Severe asthma, nebulised	Rx
Tobramycin eye drops	Tobrex	Tobrex	Tobrex	Bacterial conjunctivitis	Rx
Chloramphenicol eye drops	Limited use in Spain	Rarely used	Optrex Infected Eyes / Chloramphenicol (P, OTC)	Bacterial conjunctivitis	Rx in Spain
Ciprofloxacin ear drops	Cetraxal, Baycip Ótico	Cetraxal, Ciprodex (with steroid)	Cilodex, Cetraxal	Otitis externa	Rx

EpiPen note. The Mylan/Viatris EpiPen is not the dominant adrenaline auto-injector in Spain. Pharmacies stock Altellus, Jext or Anapen — same molecule (adrenaline / epinephrine), same emergency function, different device. The injection technique varies slightly between devices. If you carry an EpiPen, ask the pharmacist to walk through the Spanish device's grip before relying on it in an emergency.

13. The Nolotil situation

Nolotil — the Boehringer Ingelheim brand of metamizol (also known internationally as dipyrone) — is the most-prescribed analgesic in Spanish primary care, used for moderate-to-severe pain, fever and visceral cramps. It is not licensed for sale in the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Canada or Australia.

The reason for the split is one specific adverse reaction: agranulocytosis, a sudden, often unpredictable drop in white blood cells that leaves the body unable to fight bacterial infection. Untreated, it can kill within days. Published estimates of incidence vary dramatically between countries and study designs. The Berlin Case-Control Surveillance Study (Huber et al., European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 2015) reported a population incidence of 0.96 cases per million per year (95% CI 0.95–0.97). A Spanish pharmacoepidemiology study by Maciá-Martínez et al. (2024) — the source AEMPS communications typically cite — places the order of magnitude at one to ten cases per million users. At the higher end, Hedenmalm and Spigset (European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 2002), using Swedish spontaneous-report data from 1996–1999, estimated one case per 1,439 prescriptions (95% CI 1:850–1:4,684) — figures that contributed to Sweden withdrawing metamizole from the market in 1999.

The British dimension is the reason this drug appears in tourist-facing guides. From 2017 onward, a campaign by Valencia-based medical translator Cristina García del Campo collected 120-plus case reports of mostly British patients who developed serious side effects after Nolotil prescriptions in Spain, with a number of fatalities. Researchers at the Costa del Sol Hospital had earlier observed that metamizole-induced agranulocytosis appeared more often in British patients than in Spanish ones; Boehringer Ingelheim has stated that there is no scientific evidence that specific populations are more susceptible.

AEMPS responded with a 2018 safety review and updated prescribing guidance: metamizol should not be given to patients with a history of agranulocytosis, should not be used as long-term treatment, and should be prescribed cautiously to short-term visitors from countries where the drug is not normally available. The EMA's safety committee PRAC followed with EU-wide label changes strengthening warnings and requiring clinicians to instruct patients to stop the drug and seek immediate medical attention at the first sign of fever, chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers.

Practical guidance for UK and US travellers. If a Spanish doctor prescribes Nolotil for short-term pain, the drug is not inherently unsafe — millions of doses are taken in Spain every year. Three rules apply: use it only for the prescribed duration (usually a few days), stop immediately and seek medical attention if you develop unexplained fever or a sore throat, and do not bring leftover Nolotil home to self-medicate where no UK or US doctor can monitor for the rare but serious blood reaction. Paracetamol, ibuprofen and dexketoprofen (Enantyum) are reasonable alternatives that cover most of the same indications.

14. Medications OTC in one country but Rx in another

The OTC/Rx line is regulatory, not pharmacological. The same molecule at the same dose can be a supermarket purchase in one country and a controlled medication in another. The patterns that catch tourists in Spain:

Medication	Status in Spain	Status in US	Status in UK	Why it matters
Codeine combinations	Rx, always	Rx (Tylenol with Codeine)	OTC: co-codamol 8/500, Nurofen Plus, Solpadeine (P-medicine)	British visitors cannot replenish co-codamol at a Spanish pharmacy counter.
Salbutamol inhaler	Rx (some pharmacies still sell without)	Rx	Rx	Bring a backup; replacement requires a Spanish prescription.
Sildenafil 50 mg	Rx	Rx	OTC at pharmacy (Viagra Connect, since 2018)	UK travellers can no longer buy it off the shelf in Spain.
Fluconazole 150 mg (thrush)	Rx	Rx	OTC at pharmacy (Canesten Oral, Diflucan One)	UK women used to a single-pill OTC purchase cannot do the same here.
Ibuprofen 600 mg	Rx	Rx	Rx	OTC ceiling is 400 mg in Spain.
Omeprazole 20 mg	Rx (10 mg OTC; pharmacist discretion in practice)	OTC (Prilosec OTC)	OTC at pharmacy	Strict reading of Spanish rules requires Rx; practice varies.
Melatonin ≥2 mg	Rx (Circadin)	OTC (supplement, no FDA drug oversight)	Rx (POM, all strengths)	US visitors used to 5–10 mg gummies will not find them; Spain caps OTC supplement at <2 mg.
Levonorgestrel emergency contraception	OTC, no age limit (since September 2009)	OTC, no age limit (since 2013)	OTC at pharmacy after consultation	Easier access in Spain than most travellers expect.
Ulipristal emergency contraception	OTC (since April 2015)	Rx (ella)	OTC at pharmacy	US visitors can obtain ulipristal without a prescription in Spain.
Metamizol (Nolotil)	Rx	Not licensed	Not licensed	No US/UK equivalent; see dedicated section.
Domperidone (Motilium)	Rx	Not approved	Generic Rx	Returning travellers may struggle to find it at home.
Bilastine	OTC (20 mg)	Not approved (Hikma US licence agreement announced 20 September 2021)	OTC (Ilaxten 20 mg)	US visitors cannot find this antihistamine at home.

Need a prescription in Spain?

PrescribeMe connects tourists and expats with licensed Spanish doctors. Online consultation, Spanish e-prescription sent to your phone.

Get a prescription → From €15 · Licensed Spanish physicians · Valid at any pharmacy

15. FAQ

What is Tylenol called in Spain?

Tylenol is the US brand of acetaminophen, the same molecule Europeans call paracetamol. Spanish pharmacies sell it as Gelocatil, Termalgin or simply paracetamol genérico, normally as 1 g tablets — the Spanish standard adult dose. The paediatric drop formulation is Apiretal.

What is the Spanish equivalent of Advil?

Ibuprofen 400 mg, sold over the counter as Neobrufen, Espidifen (a fast-onset mint sachet) or generic ibuprofen. The 600 mg version requires a prescription.

Is Nolotil safe?

For most patients in short-term use, yes — Spain has decades of clinical experience with it. The rare-but-serious side effect is agranulocytosis. AEMPS recommends caution in short-stay visitors from countries where the drug is not licensed. Do not self-medicate with Nolotil after returning home where no doctor will monitor for blood reactions.

Is paracetamol the same as acetaminophen?

Yes. Two names, one molecule (N-acetyl-para-aminophenol). Tylenol, Panadol, Calpol, Gelocatil and Termalgin all contain it.

Can I bring my own medication to Spain?

Yes, in personal-use quantities for the duration of your trip. Keep it in original packaging and bring the prescription or a doctor's letter. Controlled substances (strong opioids, ADHD stimulants, certain benzodiazepines) may need a Schengen certificate from your home country pharmacy or a customs declaration on arrival.

Will Spanish pharmacies recognise my US or UK medication?

Almost always, by active ingredient rather than brand. Atorvastatin is atorvastatina, sertraline is sertralina, amoxicillin is amoxicilina — the Spanish word is usually obvious. Hand the pharmacist the original box.

What if I forget my prescription medication and need a refill in Spain?

You will need a Spanish prescription. Options are a public Centro de Salud appointment (cheapest if you have a European Health Insurance Card), a private GP visit, or a telemedicine consultation such as PrescribeMe from €15. Bring photos of the medication box and your home prescription to speed up the consultation.

Are Spanish generics the same quality as US or UK brands?

Yes. Spanish generics carry the EFG mark (Equivalente Farmacéutico Genérico) and must demonstrate bioequivalence under EMA standards. Most are made by the same multinational generic manufacturers (Sandoz, Teva, Mylan/Viatris, Stada, Cinfa, Normon) that supply the UK NHS and US pharmacies.

Salbutamol or albuterol?

The same molecule. Albuterol is the US adopted name; salbutamol is used everywhere else. Ventolin is the dominant brand in both Spain and the UK. ProAir and Proventil are US-only brand names that do not exist in Spanish pharmacies.

What is the Spanish equivalent of Plan B?

Plan B One-Step is levonorgestrel 1.5 mg. In Spain, the same drug is sold over the counter as Norlevo or Postinor, no prescription and no age restriction. The alternative ulipristal acetate — sold as ella in the US — is sold in Spain as ellaOne, also over the counter.

Why does Spain sell paracetamol 1 g when the US uses 500 mg?

The AEMPS-approved adult label for 1 g paracetamol (for example Gelocatil 1 g) permits 1 g per dose up to 3 g per day. US OTC labels cap single doses at 325–500 mg, largely to limit acetaminophen overdose risk in a population accustomed to self-medication. The pharmacology is identical; the convention is regulatory.

How do I know if a Spanish medication is the same as my home one?

Match the active ingredient and strength on the box, not the brand. The AEMPS database CIMA at cima.aemps.es lists every medicine sold in Spain by molecule, with downloadable patient leaflets. Vademecum.es also publishes international equivalence tables.

16. What is genuinely ambiguous, recently changed, or contested

The honest answer to a few common questions is "it depends" or "it changed recently". Flagging these explicitly:

Nolotil safety in British and Northern European patients. The AEMPS-led safety reviews tightened prescribing in 2018 and the EMA/PRAC has strengthened EU-wide warnings since. Whether genuine ethnic susceptibility exists, or whether the apparent over-representation of British cases reflects reporting bias from a large British expatriate population unfamiliar with the drug's risks, is not settled in the published literature. Treat the practical guidance — short-term use only, vigilant monitoring for fever and sore throat — as the operative rule.

Salbutamol inhaler OTC status. Salbutamol inhalers are technically prescription-only across Spain, but historical pharmacy practice in tourist areas has often allowed sale without a prescription. Enforcement has tightened. Do not rely on being able to buy one over the counter, particularly outside coastal tourist towns.

Omeprazole 20 mg OTC status. Strict reading of AEMPS rules makes 20 mg omeprazole a prescription product (only 10 mg is licensed OTC). In practice many Spanish pharmacies dispense 20 mg without seeing a prescription. This is pharmacist discretion, not a national policy, and may change.

EpiPen availability. The Mylan/Viatris EpiPen is not the dominant adrenaline auto-injector in Spain. Altellus and Jext (both ALK-Abelló) and Anapen (Bioprojet) are the marketed devices. The Bayer/Bausch+Lomb Emerade auto-injector was withdrawn from the Spanish market in 2023 over a device quality issue. UK travellers carrying EpiPens should familiarise themselves with the Spanish device design before relying on it.

Ranitidine. Ranitidine (Zantac) was withdrawn worldwide in 2019–2020 over NDMA contamination concerns and remains off the market in Spain, the US and the UK. Famotidine has replaced it as the standard H2 blocker.

Domperidone (Motilium). The EMA's PRAC restricted domperidone across the EU on 7 March 2014: limited to nausea and vomiting, maximum 30 mg per day, maximum seven days of treatment, because of QT prolongation and arrhythmia risk. Not FDA-approved in the United States.

Metoclopramide (Primperan / Reglan). EMA limited it to short-term use (up to 5 days) in 2013 because of the risk of neurological side effects. Long-term use is no longer recommended.

Atorvastatin patent. Pfizer's US compound patent on atorvastatin (Lipitor) expired on 30 November 2011, opening the US market to generic atorvastatin. In Spain, generic competition arrived earlier (Actavis launched atorvastatin magnesium in October 2009 against Pfizer's Cardyl/Zarator); the calcium-salt patent expired in July 2010.

Fluticasone propionate inhalers in the US. GSK discontinued the originator Flovent HFA and Flovent Diskus in the US in January 2024, replacing them with an authorised generic fluticasone propionate. The molecule is unchanged; the brand-name product is gone.

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Every 24-Hour Pharmacy in Barcelona (2026): Addresses, Maps, and How to Find One Open Now

PrescribeMe › Health Guide › 24-Hour Pharmacies in Barcelona

Barcelona Pharmacy Guide

Barcelona has roughly ten genuinely 24/7/365 pharmacies — not the fifteen or sixteen older guides still list — and reaching one at 3 a.m. is easier than you think, once you know which directory to trust.

⚕ PrescribeMe Medical Team Licensed Spanish Physicians Updated May 2026

In this guide

1. What "open all night" really means in Barcelona 2. The institutions that run the system 3. How the duty rotation actually works 4. The overnight surcharge that doesn't exist 5. The ten 24-hour pharmacies you can rely on 6. Barcelona's ten districts, pharmacy by pharmacy 7. What you can and cannot buy after dark 8. Paying, insuring, and speaking English 9. Getting there at 3 a.m. 10. When a pharmacy isn't enough 11. For visitors from the US, UK, Ireland, Australia 12. Tools and directories worth bookmarking 13. What is genuinely ambiguous or recently changed 14. FAQ

Two completely different systems keep Barcelona supplied with medicine after dark, and conflating them is the single biggest reason travellers end up wandering the Eixample at 2 a.m. The first is the farmàcia de guàrdia — a legally mandated rotating duty roster in which every licensed pharmacy in the city takes its turn covering nights, Sundays, and holidays. The second is the small group of pharmacies that voluntarily stay open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, on top of the rotation.

Both dispense at the same nationally fixed prices, but only the second category can be relied upon by name and address — the guàrdia changes daily. This guide identifies the ten verified 24-hour pharmacies inside Barcelona's municipal boundary as of May 2026, explains the duty system that keeps roughly fifty additional pharmacies open across the city on any given night, and addresses several persistent myths that English-language travel content keeps repeating, including the much-cited "overnight surcharge" that doesn't actually exist for prescription medicines.

It also flags what visitors most need to know up front: Spain bans medicine sales outside pharmacies entirely, foreign prescriptions don't work at the counter, and Google Maps cannot reliably tell you which of Barcelona's 1,017 pharmacies is actually open right now. Every fact in what follows is sourced to a primary authority — the Col·legi de Farmacèutics de Barcelona (COFB), the Servei Català de la Salut (CatSalut), the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Agencia Española de Medicamentos (AEMPS), and the BOE and DOGC legal gazettes.

What "Open All Night" Really Means in Barcelona

The legal anchor is Article 2.4 of Llei 31/1991, de 13 de desembre, d'ordenació farmacèutica de Catalunya (still in force in May 2026, mirrored in the BOE as BOE-A-1992-2621), which requires "continuous pharmaceutical assistance" and authorises the Departament de Salut to regulate opening hours, urgency services, and temporary closures. The operational rules sit in Decret 321/1996, d'1 d'octubre, sobre horaris d'atenció al públic, serveis d'urgència, vacances i tancament temporal voluntari de les oficines de farmàcia, which fixes the daytime urgency band at 09:00–22:00 and the nighttime band at 22:00–09:00, mandates that every pharmacy participate in the rotation, and imposes the signage rules described below. Decret 12/1992 delegated day-to-day management of the rotation to the four Catalan pharmacy colleges — in Barcelona's case, the COFB.

A note on a regulation often cited in older guides: "Decret 40/2017" does not exist as a Catalan pharmacy regulation, and we could not locate it in either DOGC or Portal Jurídic. The most recent farmacy-specific Catalan decree is Decret 15/2025, de 28 de gener (DOGC, 31 January 2025), which governs personalised dosage systems (SPD) — not opening hours.

The practical taxonomy of late-night pharmacy access in Barcelona breaks into three categories. Permanent 24-hour pharmacies stay open every day of the year by their own choice, on top of any guàrdia obligations. Guàrdia de nit pharmacies are on the rotating night roster between 22:00 and 09:00 — different addresses every night. Standard pharmacies close around 22:00 and post a sign on the door directing you to the nearest open option. Knowing which category you're dealing with at any given moment is the difference between five extra minutes of walking and forty-five minutes of confused taxi rides.

The Institutions That Run the System

Barcelona's pharmacy network is administered through a layered structure that many tourists never see and that locals largely take for granted.

The Col·legi de Farmacèutics de Barcelona (COFB), founded in 1898 and based at C/ Girona 64-66, 08009 Barcelona, is the public-law professional corporation to which every practising community pharmacist in the province must belong. As of year-end 2024 it had 9,344 colegiados, second only to Madrid's college nationally. The COFB approves the guàrdia rotation, supervises deontological compliance, and runs the only live, authoritative pharmacy-finder for the province: FARMAGUIA, at farmaguia.net, available in Catalan, Spanish, and English. The college's institutional site is cofb.org — the older "farmaceuticosdebarcelona.com" address that circulates in tourist forums is informal and not the registered domain.

On the public side, the Servei Català de la Salut (CatSalut) finances the prestación farmacéutica, manages the Rec@t electronic prescription that now carries roughly 96% of all SNS prescriptions in Catalonia, and operates 061 CatSalut Respon, the 24-hour multilingual health hotline that doubles as the easiest spoken-word way to find a pharmacy at 4 a.m. The Departament de Salut de la Generalitat sets pharmacy policy through DOGC decrees. The Agencia Española de Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios (AEMPS, aemps.gob.es) authorises medicines, classifies them as prescription-only or OTC, and publishes the customs rules travellers need before flying in with controlled medication. At national level the four Catalan colleges federate into the Consell de Col·legis Farmacèutics de Catalunya (CCFC), which feeds into the Consejo General de Colegios Oficiales de Farmacéuticos (CGCOF), operator of portalfarma.com.

How the Duty Rotation Actually Works

Under Decret 321/1996, every pharmacy in Barcelona is obliged to take its turn on the rotation; non-participation requires authorised justification. The COFB's Junta de Govern approves the schedule, distributing duty across the city's àrees bàsiques de salut (ABS) and sanitary sectors. Shifts may be assigned daily or weekly, and the decree fixes urban-density minimums: at least one daytime urgency pharmacy per three ABS or per 75,000 inhabitants, and a nocturnal minimum that scales with population — one for cities up to 100,000, two up to 275,000, and an additional pharmacy per further 160,000 inhabitants. Barcelona therefore has dozens of guàrdia pharmacies open on any given night. The COFB's 2023 internal memoria recorded 19,398 night-guard services across the province in one year, averaging 53 pharmacies on duty each night.

Three public channels expose this rotation in real time. FARMAGUIA (farmaguia.net) plots open pharmacies on a live map and filters by date, time, district, and specialist service. The 061 CatSalut Respon mobile app mirrors the same data and is the easiest option once you're already on the street. And every closed pharmacy in the city is legally required, under Decret 321/1996, to display on its façade, visibly, the address of the nearest on-duty pharmacy. The on-duty pharmacy itself signals its status with an illuminated green Maltese cross — the creu de Malta lluminosa encesa. If you find yourself outside a darkened pharmacy door at 1 a.m., the printed sheet by the entrance is doing exactly what the law tells it to.

There is no "098" hotline for pharmacy information in Catalonia. That number, repeated in some travel content, does not correspond to any verified Generalitat or COFB service. The functional numbers to memorise are 112 for emergencies, 061 for health advice, and 010 for general Barcelona citizen information.

The Overnight Surcharge That Doesn't Exist

One of the most persistent myths in English-language Barcelona guides is that night pharmacies levy a regulated recargo por servicio de urgencia of roughly €1.30–€1.50 on every dispensation. We could not verify this charge from any primary Catalan source, and the regulatory architecture in fact rules it out for prescription medicines.

Spanish medicine prices are fixed nationally by the Comisión Interministerial de Precios de los Medicamentos under articles 94–99 of Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2015 (the consolidated medicines law, BOE-A-2015-8343). A registered medicine's PVP is the PVP whether it is dispensed at 11 a.m. or 4 a.m.; the pharmacist cannot legally alter it. Industry sources confirm explicitly that Spanish duty pharmacies do not add a customer surcharge to SNS-prescribed medicines at night. The Catalan "euro per recepta" introduced in 2012 by Llei 5/2012 was suspended by the Tribunal Constitucional in 2014 and has never returned. The various nocturnidad supplements of €1.75/hour that appear in some search results are internal labour-cost line items under the XXV Convenio Colectivo Estatal de Oficinas de Farmacia — paid to the pharmacy's employees, not collected from patients.

The one place where genuine price variation creeps in is non-medicament parafarmacia (cosmetics, supplements, baby formula, sun cream) sold from the same counter. These products have free retail pricing, and central or tourist-zone 24-hour pharmacies do tend to charge noticeably more than a residential pharmacy in Sant Andreu. For prescription drugs themselves, what you pay at 03:00 at Farmàcia Clapés is the same PVP a CatSalut beneficiary pays at midday three streets away. The 22:00–09:00 band defined by Decret 321/1996 is the duty-roster timing, not a price-surcharge window.

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The Ten 24-Hour Pharmacies You Can Actually Rely On

Cross-referencing the Ajuntament de Barcelona's official directory (which flags genuine 24h pharmacies with the suffix "*24 hores"), each pharmacy's own current website, commercial databases, and recent 2024–2026 Google reviews and listings, ten pharmacies inside Barcelona's municipal boundary operate permanently 24/7/365 in May 2026. Several "famous 24h" addresses that still appear in travel blogs have quietly reduced their hours — those are flagged separately below.

Pharmacy	Address · District	Metro · Phone
Farmàcia Clapés AntojaThe city's flagship tourist 24h. Opposite La Boqueria. English-speaking staff. Window service after 22:00.	La Rambla 98, 08002Ciutat Vella / Barri Gòtic	Liceu (L3)+34 933 012 843
Farmàcia Torres"Farmacia Abierta 24 Horas". SPD service, wheelchair accessible.	C/ Aribau 62, 08011Eixample / Antiga Esquerra	Universitat (L1/L2)+34 934 539 220
Farmàcia Garcia (Aragó 1)Closest 24h to Sants Estació and Plaça Espanya.	C/ Aragó 1, 08015Eixample / Nova Esquerra	Tarragona (L3)+34 932 296 070
Farmàcia Laguna VentosaEffectively the Sagrada Família pharmacy. ~150 m from Plaça Gaudí.	C/ Provença 459, 08025Eixample / Sagrada Família	Sagrada Família (L2/L5)+34 934 551 207
Farmàcia Hormigós PérezThe only 24h serving Les Corts and Camp Nou. ~700 m from the stadium.	Riera Blanca 191–193, 08014Sants-Montjuïc / La Bordeta	Plaça de Sants (L1/L5)+34 933 321 595
Farmàcia Boada i SolerOperating over 90 years. Strong in homeopathy and fórmulas magistrales.	Plaça de la Bonanova 6, 08022Sarrià–Sant Gervasi / La Bonanova	La Bonanova (FGC L6)+34 934 178 032
Farmàcia Boquer TorrensOrtopèdia and homeopathy. Buses 58, 73, 75, 85.	Passeig de Sant Gervasi 53, 08022Sarrià–Sant Gervasi / La Bonanova	Plaça Molina (FGC L6/L7)+34 934 170 240
Farmàcia Penella PerisFormerly Cervera Bech. Listed 24h by the Ajuntament; call ahead at night — one aggregator reports reduced hours.	C/ Muntaner 254, 08021Sarrià–Sant Gervasi / Galvany	Gràcia (FGC) / Hospital Clínic (L5)+34 932 000 996
Farmàcia Albert Diloy"Maragall 24 hores". The only 24h in Horta-Guinardó. Serves Park Güell and Hospital Sant Pau.	Passeig Maragall 177, 08041Horta-Guinardó / El Guinardó	Maragall (L4/L5)+34 933 519 507
Farmàcia Biosca & Fernández24h since 2002. Closest permanent 24h to Diagonal Mar and the eastern beaches.	Rambla Guipúscoa 67–69, 08020Sant Martí / Sant Martí de Provençals	Bac de Roda (L2)+34 933 144 820

All ten accept Visa and Mastercard; American Express acceptance is inconsistent but confirmed at Clapés. After about 22:00, essentially every one of them switches to ventanilla nocturna — window service: you ring the bell at a metal grate, speak to the pharmacist through a microphone hatch, and pay through the slot. Bring your prescription on paper or in the La Meva Salut app.

Pharmacies that are no longer 24-hour

A few names that English-language sources still list as 24-hour but are not in May 2026:

Farmàcia Álvarez at Passeig de Gràcia 26 was for decades a famous 24h address. It now operates Monday–Friday 08:00–22:00, Saturday 09:00–22:00, closed Sunday. Farmàcia La Pedrera (Castells Soler) at Passeig de Gràcia 90, next to Casa Milà, still markets itself as "open 365 days a year" on its own website, but multiple 2024–2025 trade sources and Google reviews using past tense indicate operating hours of roughly 07:30–22:00. It is not flagged on the Ajuntament's "*24 hores" list. Farmàcia Chacón (Indústria 128) and Farmàcia Sunyer (Pg. Sant Joan 111) are similarly off the permanent-24h list. There is no 24h pharmacy at Aragó 222 or 224.

The trend, documented in the Catalan pharmacy trade press, is gentle contraction: from twelve or thirteen permanent 24h pharmacies in the mid-2010s to ten today, attributed to staffing costs, security incidents (concentrated on La Rambla), and the unfunded nature of guàrdia duty.

Airport pharmacies are not 24-hour. Per Aena's current published schedule, T1 Arrivals 07:00–20:30, T1 Departures (P3) 07:00–20:30, and T2B 08:30–20:00 weekdays / 08:30–15:00 Saturday. For a late-night arrival needing medicine immediately, take the Aerobús or rodalies train into the city to Farmàcia Garcia at Aragó 1.

Barcelona's Ten Districts, Pharmacy by Pharmacy

Barcelona has approximately 1,017 community pharmacies inside the city limits, per the CGCOF Estadísticas de Colegiados y Farmacias Comunitarias 2024 published in July 2025 and confirmed by COFB. The widely cited "≈1,063" figure circulating in older content is outdated. Catalonia as a whole counts 3,290 pharmacies and Spain 22,231. With roughly 1.7 million residents inside the municipal boundary, Barcelona's density is around 60 pharmacies per 100,000 inhabitants — well above the European mid-range of about 32/100k but, perhaps surprisingly, only mid-table by Spanish standards. The province carries an average of 2,471 inhabitants per pharmacy.

District-by-district public counts vary because the COFB does not publish a district-level breakdown; the figures below are best public approximations rather than official statistics.

District	Population / pharmacies	24h pharmacies
Ciutat VellaLa Rambla, Gòtic, El Born, El Raval, Barceloneta	111,155 · ~65	Clapés Antoja
EixamplePlaça Catalunya, Passeig de Gràcia, Sagrada Família	274,636 · ~167	Torres, Garcia, Laguna Ventosa
Sants-MontjuïcSants Estació, Plaça Espanya, Poble Sec, Fira	191,391 · ~115	Hormigós Pérez
Les CortsCamp Nou, ESADE, Diagonal business spine	83,551 · ~51	None — uses Hormigós
Sarrià–Sant GervasiBonanova to Galvany, Pg. de Sant Gervasi	151,890 · ~94	Boada, Boquer, Penella
GràciaVila de Gràcia, Park Güell southern edge	125,787 · ~76	None — rotation only
Horta-GuinardóHospital Sant Pau, Park Güell main entrance	180,138 · ~108	Albert Diloy (Maragall)
Nou BarrisNorthern residential	179,590 · n/a	None — rotation only
Sant AndreuNorthern residential	155,470 · n/a	None — rotation only
Sant MartíPoblenou, 22@, Glòries, Diagonal Mar, eastern beaches	249,206 · ~149	Biosca & Fernández

If you're orienting by landmark

If you're near...	Nearest 24-hour pharmacy
La Rambla, Cathedral, Plaça Reial	Farmàcia Clapés Antoja (La Rambla 98)
Casa Batlló, Casa Milà, Passeig de Gràcia	Farmàcia Torres (Aribau 62) or Farmàcia Garcia (Aragó 1)
Sagrada Família	Farmàcia Laguna Ventosa (Provença 459)
Sants Estació, Plaça Espanya	Farmàcia Garcia (Aragó 1)
Camp Nou, Les Corts	Farmàcia Hormigós (Riera Blanca 191)
Park Güell (Olot entrance)	Farmàcia Albert Diloy (Pg. Maragall 177)
Park Güell (Vallcarca entrance)	Rotation only — use FARMAGUIA
Glòries, Diagonal Mar, Poblenou	Farmàcia Biosca & Fernández (Rambla Guipúscoa 67–69)
Barceloneta, W Barcelona	No 24h within 1.5 km — taxi or Nitbus to Clapés on La Rambla
Hospital Clínic	Penella Peris (Muntaner 254) or Torres (Aribau 62)
Hospital del Mar (Vila Olímpica)	Rotation only — use FARMAGUIA

What You Can and Cannot Buy After Dark

Two facts surprise nearly every North American or British visitor on their first pharmacy run. The first is that Spain enforces an absolute pharmacy monopoly on medicine sales: there is no Tesco-aisle paracetamol, no 7-Eleven ibuprofen, no Walmart cold-and-flu shelf. Even basic analgesics must come from a licensed farmacia. The second is that Spain reclassified several formerly easygoing OTC products as prescription-only in a 2015 reform, including paracetamol 1 g, ibuprofen 600 mg, salbutamol inhalers (Ventolin), and most single-agent pseudoephedrine.

Available without a prescription, day or night

Medication	Common Spanish brands
Paracetamol 500/650 mgPain relief, fever	Gelocatil, Termalgin, Apiretal
Ibuprofen 400 mgPain, inflammation	Neobrufen, Espidifen
AspirinPain, fever	Aspirina
LoperamideDiarrhoea	Fortasec
Cetirizine, loratadineAntihistamines	Alercina, Virlix, Civeran, Clarityne
AntacidsHeartburn, indigestion	Almax, Rennie
Levonorgestrel emergency contraceptionOTC since September 2009. No age limit.	NorLevo, Postinor
Ulipristal emergency contraceptionOTC since March 2015.	EllaOne

Requires a Spanish prescription, no exceptions

All antibiotics (amoxicillin, azithromycin, clavulanic acid combinations) under strictly enforced SEVEM verification rules since February 2019; all combined oral contraceptive pills; all sleeping pills (zolpidem / Stilnox); all benzodiazepines (Valium, Trankimazin); all opioids; methylphenidate and other ADHD medications; salbutamol and other inhaled bronchodilators; metamizole (Nolotil); and high-dose NSAIDs. Pseudoephedrine as a single agent is generally Rx, but several combination products (Reactine, Rinobactil, Rino-Ebastel) remain OTC.

Cold-chain stocking is patchier than during the day. Common short-acting insulins and adrenaline auto-injectors (Anapen, Jext, EpiPen) are usually held by 24h pharmacies, but specialty biologics — GLP-1 analogues, biologic injectables for autoimmune disease, less common insulin analogues — may not be available until daytime suppliers reopen. If you need a rare refrigerated product overnight, phone the pharmacy first or, in genuine clinical need, go to a hospital pharmacy via the A&E entrance.

Spanish pharmacists practise under two doctrinal labels worth knowing. Dispensación informada is the legal obligation to dispense any medicine with appropriate verbal information about its use. Indicación farmacéutica is the formal professional service in which a pharmacist, without a doctor's prescription, evaluates minor self-limiting symptoms — cold, mild headache, simple gastroenteritis, allergic rhinitis, sunburn, insect bites — and recommends an OTC product. Pharmacists cannot diagnose disease or write prescriptions; for anything beyond minor symptoms, they will refer you to a CAP, a hospital, 061, or 112. Every practising community pharmacist in Barcelona Province holds a five-year Grado en Farmacia and mandatory COFB membership.

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Paying, Insuring, and Speaking English at the Counter

Card payment is effectively universal in Barcelona pharmacies — debit, credit, contactless, Apple Pay, and Google Pay all work, and a tiny minority of older neighbourhood farmacias that remain cash-only will not be among the 24-hour list. International travel insurance is almost never accepted for direct billing at a retail pharmacy counter; the established practice is to pay, keep the ticket de farmacia receipt, and claim reimbursement at home.

For European visitors the EHIC and UK GHIC matter, but with an important catch. They entitle the holder to the same pharmacy co-payment as a Spanish resident — but only when accompanied by a Spanish public-system prescription issued by a doctor working inside the Spanish national health system. An EHIC or GHIC presented with a UK, German, or French prescription does not trigger discounted pricing; under EU cross-border prescription rules you pay full retail. A pure OTC purchase always costs the unsubsidised retail price.

For SNS-prescribed medicines the co-payment structure (set by Real Decreto 16/2012) ranges from 0% for low-income and unemployed beneficiaries, through approximately 10% capped monthly for pensioners (€8.23–€18.52 depending on income band), to 40–60% for active workers (60% above €100,000 annual income). A tourist with a foreign prescription pays the full regulated retail price — which, thanks to Spain's price-ceiling regime under RDLeg 1/2015, is usually a fraction of equivalent US private retail and broadly comparable to UK private pricing.

English-speaking staff are the norm at the three most tourist-facing 24-hour pharmacies — Clapés on La Rambla, Laguna Ventosa at Sagrada Família, and Torres on Aribau — and unreliable but possible elsewhere. There is no official COFB register of English-capable pharmacies; the best fallback is to show the medicine name on your phone, since Spanish pharmacists are trained on international nonproprietary names (INNs) and the AEMPS CIMA database recognises virtually every brand sold in the EU.

Getting There at 3 a.m.

Barcelona's transport network closes at predictable hours that are worth committing to memory before your trip.

Mode	Hours	Notes
Metro (TMB)All lines	Sun–Thu 05:00–00:00Fri 05:00–02:00Sat continuous	Continuous on New Year's Eve, Sant Joan, La Mercè, Festa Major de Gràcia.
NitbusNight bus network	~22:00–06:00 nightly	17 lines (N0–N17). All except N0 pass Plaça Catalunya. ~20 min frequency. T-casual valid.
Official taxisBlack-and-yellow, ~11,000 citywide	24/7	Card payment mandatory. T-2 night rate applies 20:00–08:00 weekdays and all weekends/holidays.
Free Now, Uber, Cabify, PideTaxiApps	24/7	Uber in Barcelona uses licensed taxis, not private VTC. Tariffs identical.
BicingPublic bike-share	24/7	Requires DNI/NIE or residency — not practical for short-stay visitors.

Rough night taxi fares from Plaça Catalunya at the T-2 rate (€1.48–€1.66 per kilometre, €2.55–€2.80 flagfall): about €8–€10 to Hospital Clínic, €9–€11 to Hospital del Mar, €10–€13 to Hospital Sant Pau, €15–€20 to Vall d'Hebron, and €39–€45 to the airport (with the airport supplement). The Nitbus line N17 connects Plaça Catalunya to the airport in 50–55 minutes.

When a Pharmacy Isn't Enough

A 24-hour pharmacy can dispense a salbutamol inhaler or a course of paracetamol against a Spanish prescription; it cannot stitch a wound, scan for appendicitis, or treat anaphylaxis. The Catalan public system gives visitors three escalation tiers above pharmacy advice.

Dial 112 — free, multilingual, pan-European — for any life-threatening situation: chest pain, stroke symptoms, severe bleeding, anaphylaxis, severe trauma, breathing difficulty, suspected poisoning, or unconsciousness. Dial 061 (CatSalut Respon) for 24-hour non-emergency health advice, including help finding the nearest open pharmacy or urgent care centre; from abroad, +34 933 038 158. The CAP (Centre d'Atenció Primària) network covers primary care across the city, and the larger CAPs operate CUAP urgent-care wings, some 24-hour; walk-in is permitted, and tourists with EHIC/GHIC are billed at resident rates.

24-hour hospital emergency departments in Barcelona

Hospital	Address · Metro	Phone
Hospital ClínicPublic, major teaching hospital	C/ Villarroel 170, 08036Hospital Clínic (L5)	+34 932 275 400
Hospital del MarPublic. Closest to Barceloneta/Vila Olímpica.	Passeig Marítim 25-29, 08003Ciutadella–Vila Olímpica (L4)	+34 932 483 000
Hospital Sant PauPublic. UNESCO-listed modernist campus.	C/ Sant Quintí 89, 08041Sant Pau–Dos de Maig (L5)	+34 935 537 000
Hospital Vall d'HebronCatalonia's largest hospital complex.	Pg. Vall d'Hebron 119-129, 08035Vall d'Hebron (L3/L5)	+34 934 893 000
Clínica Sagrada FamiliaPrivate. Foreign-patient service with insurance direct billing.	C/ Torras i Pujalt 1, 08022El Putxet (FGC)	+34 936 029 456

Present EHIC or GHIC plus passport on arrival at any public hospital and you will be treated under the SNS at resident rates — generally free for emergency care, with co-payment on any prescribed medication. EHIC/GHIC does not work in private hospitals or in the private wings of public hospitals; confirm "asistencia sanitaria pública" before signing anything.

For Visitors from the US, UK, Ireland, and Australia

Your home-country prescription does not work directly at a Spanish pharmacy. A UK NHS prescription, a US doctor's script, an Irish HSE script, or an Australian PBS script will not be dispensed at the Farmàcia Clapés counter — Spanish pharmacists are legally required to dispense only against a Spanish receta (paper or Rec@t electronic) or an EU cross-border prescription conforming to Directive 2011/24/EU (which post-Brexit UK prescriptions generally do not). The practical options are to obtain a Spanish prescription from a CAP, a private GP, or a licensed Spanish telemedicine service.

Brand-name translations

Home brand	Active ingredient	Common Spanish brand
Tylenol / Panadol	Paracetamol	Gelocatil, Termalgin, Apiretal
Advil / Nurofen	Ibuprofen	Neobrufen, Espidifen
Aleve	Naproxen (Rx-only in Spain)	Naproxeno
Benadryl	Diphenhydramine (uncommon in Spain)	Use cetirizine (Alercina, Zyrtec) or loratadine (Civeran, Clarityne)
Pepto-Bismol	Bismuth subsalicylate (unavailable)	Almax, Aerored, Smecta
NyQuil	Multi-ingredient (no direct match)	Frenadol, Couldina, Pharmagrip
Sudafed	Pseudoephedrine	Reactine, Rinobactil (combination OTC)
Imodium / Lomotil	Loperamide	Fortasec
Ambien	Zolpidem (Rx-only)	Stilnox
Valium / Xanax	Diazepam / alprazolam (strictly Rx)	Valium, Trankimazin
Adderall	Amphetamine salts (unavailable)	Methylphenidate: Rubifén, Concerta, Medikinet. Lisdexamfetamine: Elvanse.

Bringing controlled medications into Spain. Travellers carrying ADHD stimulants, opioid analgesics, benzodiazepines, or strong hypnotics into Spain from outside the Schengen area — which includes the UK, Ireland, the US, and Australia — must apply for an entry permit before travelling, through AEMPS's Área de Estupefacientes y Psicótropos (estupefacientes@aemps.es), with completed application, medical report, original prescription, and passport copy. Schengen-area travellers carry a national-authority Schengen certificate instead. Ordinary non-controlled medication may be brought for personal use, generally up to a three-month supply with a prescription or medical report. Always carry medication in original labelled packaging in hand luggage.

Tools and Directories Worth Bookmarking

The single most useful Barcelona pharmacy tool for visitors is FARMAGUIA at farmaguia.net/desktop/en/: the COFB's live, English-language, real-time map of every open pharmacy in the province, filterable by date, time, and service. The 061 CatSalut Respon app carries the same data and is the easiest option in motion. The Generalitat's medicaments.gencat.cat carries a cercador that defers to FARMAGUIA as the authoritative source, plus open-data downloads of every pharmacy in Catalonia. portalfarma.com and farmaceuticos.com (CGCOF) cover the national picture but, for Barcelona, simply route back to COFB.

Avoid relying on Google Maps for after-hours questions: it displays scheduled business hours and cannot represent the rotating guàrdia, so a pharmacy on duty tonight may still show "Closed" and one closed tonight may still show "Open". The legally mandated printed sheet on every closed pharmacy door, listing the nearest on-duty pharmacy, is the offline backup that always works.

What Is Genuinely Ambiguous, Recently Changed, or Contested

A few areas of this topic deserve explicit transparency about the limits of public information or recent change.

The exact list of permanent 24h pharmacies fluctuates. Pharmacy hours change without notice, and Spain has no central registry of "24-hour pharmacies" specifically — only of pharmacies and their declared opening hours, which the pharmacy can modify. The ten verified in this guide are cross-checked across the Ajuntament's guia.barcelona.cat directory (which uses the "*24 hores" suffix), each pharmacy's own current website where one exists, and recent Google Business listings. Three (Penella Peris, Boada i Soler, Boquer Torrens) carry conflicting data points across sources; call before relying on them.

The new Spanish medicines law is pending. The Anteproyecto de Ley de los Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios approved by Spain's Council of Ministers on 8 April 2025 introduces nurse and physiotherapist prescribing, updates the national reference-price system, and accelerates generics and biosimilars. As of May 2026 it remains in parliamentary process. Likewise, the CCFC has been formally negotiating a new Llei d'Ordenació i Atenció Farmacèutica de Catalunya to replace the 1991 statute. Both are pending and could change the regulatory framing of duty services within the next year.

The overnight surcharge. As covered in detail above, no current Catalan source verifies a regulated price supplement on prescription medicines for night service. If a reader has direct documentary evidence to the contrary — a specific Generalitat resolution, a posted price list, a current receipt — we would update this guide. As of May 2026, we treat the claim as not substantiated.

The "098" hotline. Older travel content references a "098" number for finding duty pharmacies. We could not find any reference to this number in COFB, CatSalut, or Generalitat materials. It appears to be either a defunct service or a confusion with another regional system.

Decret 40/2017. This citation appears in some online materials. It does not appear in DOGC or Portal Jurídic as a Catalan pharmacy regulation. The pharmacy-relevant Catalan instruments currently in force are Llei 31/1991, Decret 12/1992, Decret 321/1996, and (for SPD only) Decret 15/2025.

FAQ

How many 24-hour pharmacies are there in Barcelona?

Approximately ten pharmacies inside Barcelona's municipal boundary operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year as of 2026. Several addresses listed as 24-hour in older travel guides have since reduced their hours. On top of these permanent 24-hour pharmacies, roughly fifty more rotate into the COFB-organised farmàcia de guàrdia duty roster each night, covering every district.

Do Barcelona pharmacies charge a surcharge at night?

No. Spanish medicine prices are fixed nationally by the Comisión Interministerial de Precios de los Medicamentos under articles 94–99 of Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2015. The price of a prescription medicine is the same at 4 a.m. as at 11 a.m. Non-medicinal parafarmacia products (cosmetics, supplements, sun cream) have free retail pricing and can cost more in tourist-area pharmacies, but prescription drugs themselves do not carry a night surcharge.

Can I use my US, UK, Irish, or Australian prescription in Barcelona?

Generally no. Spanish pharmacists dispense against a Spanish receta (paper or electronic Rec@t) or an EU cross-border prescription compliant with Directive 2011/24/EU. Post-Brexit UK prescriptions, US scripts, Irish HSE scripts, and Australian PBS scripts do not qualify. The practical options are to visit a CAP (primary care centre), a private clinic, or a licensed Spanish telemedicine service to obtain a valid Spanish prescription.

What is a farmàcia de guàrdia?

A farmàcia de guàrdia is a duty pharmacy on the rotating roster mandated by Catalan law. Under Decret 321/1996, every pharmacy in Barcelona is obliged to take its turn covering nights (22:00–09:00), Sundays, and public holidays. The Col·legi de Farmacèutics de Barcelona organises the rotation. Every closed pharmacy must display, on its façade, the address of the nearest on-duty pharmacy.

How do I find an open pharmacy in Barcelona right now?

Use FARMAGUIA at farmaguia.net, the official live finder run by the Col·legi de Farmacèutics de Barcelona. It plots every open pharmacy in real time, filterable by date, time, and service, in Catalan, Spanish, and English. The 061 CatSalut Respon mobile app provides the same data. Google Maps is unreliable for after-hours pharmacy questions because it cannot represent the rotating duty system.

Are airport pharmacies open 24 hours?

No. Pharmacies at Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) are not 24-hour. Per Aena's published schedule, T1 Arrivals and T1 Departures pharmacies operate roughly 07:00–20:30, and T2B operates 08:30–20:00 weekdays and shorter hours on weekends. For a late-night arrival needing medicine immediately, travel into the city via Aerobús or rodalies train and use one of the 24-hour pharmacies listed in this guide.

Can I buy antibiotics over the counter in Spain?

No. All antibiotics require a valid Spanish prescription, and the rule has been strictly enforced through the SEVEM verification system since February 2019. Pharmacies face significant fines for dispensing antibiotics without a prescription. This applies day and night at 24-hour pharmacies.

Is the morning-after pill available at night without a prescription?

Yes. Levonorgestrel-based emergency contraception (NorLevo, Postinor) has been available without a prescription in Spain since September 2009, and ulipristal acetate (EllaOne) since March 2015. There is no age restriction and no consultation requirement. Any 24-hour pharmacy in Barcelona will dispense it at 4 a.m.

Does my EHIC or UK GHIC work at a Barcelona pharmacy?

The EHIC and UK GHIC entitle holders to the same pharmacy co-payment as a Spanish resident, but only when accompanied by a Spanish public-system prescription issued by a doctor working inside the Spanish national health system. An EHIC or GHIC presented with a UK, German, or French prescription does not trigger discounted pricing. Pure over-the-counter purchases always cost the full retail price.

What's the nearest 24-hour pharmacy to my hotel?

For La Rambla, the Gothic Quarter, and Plaça Reial: Farmàcia Clapés Antoja at La Rambla 98. For Passeig de Gràcia and Casa Batlló: Farmàcia Torres at C/ Aribau 62 or Farmàcia Garcia at C/ Aragó 1. For Sagrada Família: Farmàcia Laguna Ventosa at C/ Provença 459. For Sants Estació: Farmàcia Garcia at C/ Aragó 1. For Camp Nou and Les Corts: Farmàcia Hormigós at Riera Blanca 191. For Diagonal Mar and Poblenou: Farmàcia Biosca & Fernández at Rambla Guipúscoa 67–69. For Barceloneta: there is no 24-hour pharmacy nearby; take a taxi or Nitbus to Clapés on La Rambla.

What should I do in a medical emergency rather than a pharmacy question?

Dial 112 for life-threatening emergencies — free, multilingual, pan-European. Dial 061 (CatSalut Respon) for 24-hour non-emergency health advice in multiple languages. For walk-in urgent care, the CUAP centres operate within several CAPs across the city. The major 24-hour A&E hospitals are Hospital Clínic, Hospital del Mar, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, and Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron. EHIC and GHIC are accepted at public hospitals for emergency care at Spanish-resident rates.

Get a valid Spanish prescription, online, from a licensed physician

If you're in Barcelona and your home-country prescription won't work at the counter, PrescribeMe is an online consultation with a licensed Spanish doctor registered with the Colegio Oficial de Médicos. Valid e-prescription, redeemable at any pharmacy in Spain — including every 24-hour pharmacy in this guide.

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PrescribeMe is an online medical consultation service staffed by licensed Spanish physicians registered with the Colegio de Médicos. We help English-speaking tourists and expats access prescription medication in Spain without language barriers or unnecessary delays. All pharmacy details cited in this article reflect public information verified against the Col·legi de Farmacèutics de Barcelona, the Ajuntament de Barcelona official directory, and each pharmacy's own published data as of May 2026.