Two situations, two different sets of rules: bringing your own medication in, and buying something once you are here. Travellers usually worry about the first and get caught by the second.

Bringing your own medication

Medicines for your own personal use are allowed in your luggage. Three conditions make the difference at customs:

  • The quantity has to be compatible with your stay and your treatment. Enough for the trip is fine; enough to look like resale is not.
  • Everything in its original packaging, so it can be identified.
  • Have your prescription available. It can be requested — particularly if the quantity does not obviously match the length of your trip. A medical report or a letter from your doctor serves the same purpose.

A practical habit: carry a written list of what you take, using generic names. Brand names differ from country to country and mean nothing to a Brazilian pharmacist.

Buying medicine here

Some things you can buy over the counter. Others you cannot, and this is where trips go wrong.

Antibiotics require a prescription in Brazil — the pharmacy retains a copy and records the sale. No pharmacist will sell them to you without one, however reasonable your explanation.

And the prescription has to be Brazilian: one written by your doctor at home cannot be dispensed here.

If you run out

You need a prescription issued in Brazil, which means a consultation with a doctor licensed here. It can be done online, and the prescription is valid at pharmacies across the country.

If what you take is a controlled medicine — the kind that needs a special prescription form — the rules are stricter, but it is not out of reach. Say so when you book so the doctor can confirm the route for your case. There is more in how to get a prescription or medicine in Brazil.

Frequently asked questions about medicines in Brazil

How much medication can I bring?

An amount compatible with the length of your stay and your treatment, in original packaging.

Will they ask for my prescription at the airport?

They can, especially if the quantity does not match your trip. Carry it, or a letter from your doctor.

Can I buy antibiotics without a prescription?

No. Antibiotics require a prescription, and the pharmacy keeps a copy.

Is my prescription from home valid here?

No. You need one issued in Brazil.

General information, not individual medical advice. Reviewed by Dr. Marcelo Rafael Lujan, CRM-SC 42.900. Sources: Anvisa baggage rules and prescription regulations.

Ran out, or left it at home? See a Brazilian-licensed doctor online and get a prescription that works at any pharmacy here.