Upon arriving in the Netherlands, it's always a good idea to familiarise yourself with where your nearest place to get medicines is located.

Pharmacies

Once you have registered at a GP in the Netherlands, you will usually have a choice of several nearby pharmacies from which your prescription medicine can be picked up from. In most cities, you can choose the pharmacy that is most convenient for you and opt to have your prescriptions sent there by default. You can find your nearest pharmacy by using the Apotheek search tool (in Dutch) and putting your postcode into the search bar.

Use 'Apotheek' To Find Your Nearest Pharmacy

Healthcare Stores

As well as pharmacies, there are also numerous other healthcare stores throughout the Netherlands that may be able to provide you with basic medication, ranging from paracetamol to mild allergy medication. These healthcare stores often stock many other daily essentials, such as shampoo, hairbrushes, and toothbrushes. You can often even buy some chocolates or other snacks there too!

There are several major chains of healthcare stores in the Netherlands. Below you can find more information about the most common ones, as well as about pharmacies in general. 

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