Tourist clinic · Portugal 2026
Lost My Medication on Holiday in Portugal — What Now?
Lost luggage, forgotten pills, or ran out early? For a regular medicine you take at a stable dose, a doctor can issue a Portuguese e-prescription after a short video call — €19 at Lon Clinic. Any pharmacy in Portugal can then dispense it.
First find the exact name and dose: the box, a photo on your phone, your pharmacy app or an old prescription. Brand names change between countries; the active ingredient does not.
Dr. Rita AguiarLicensed physician · Portuguese Medical Association · ERS 45475
Consultations in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
Video call with a licensed doctor · e-prescription to any pharmacy in Portugal · same-day slots
Next available times
See this week's availabilityCan a pharmacy give me my medicine without a prescription?
Not if it is a prescription-only medicine — even with the empty box. Portuguese pharmacists can, however, tell you the local name of your foreign medicine, check that the dose exists in Portugal, and sell non-prescription products.
If you still have a paper prescription issued in another EU country, a Portuguese pharmacy may be able to dispense it. Ask before booking.
Brand names are different in Portugal
The same medicine often has a different brand name in Portugal. What the doctor and pharmacy need is the active ingredient (in Portuguese: substância ativa) and the strength, for example “levothyroxine 100 micrograms” or “amlodipine 5 mg”.
If you only know the brand, a photo of the box or blister is usually enough.
What we usually cannot replace by video
- Controlled medicines
- Opioid painkillers, benzodiazepines and ADHD stimulants are tightly controlled in Portugal and are not prescribed by video to a new patient.
- Antibiotics
- A new course needs an assessment of the infection — that is a 39 € general consultation, not a renewal.
- Weight-loss injections
- GLP-1 medicines are not renewed on this pathway.
- Specialist-only treatments
- Chemotherapy, some biologics and hospital-only medicines: contact your specialist team; they often have an out-of-hours line.
Have this ready for the call
Passport or ID, the box or a photo, your dose and how often you take it, the date of your last prescription, any allergies, and a list of your other medicines.
How it works
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Find the name and dose
Box, blister pack, photo, pharmacy app or old prescription. The active ingredient matters more than the brand.
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Book the 19 € renewal
Same-day slots are often available, seven days a week. English, Spanish or Portuguese.
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The doctor checks
What it is for, how long you have taken it, your dose, allergies and other medicines. If it is safe to prescribe, you get the e-prescription at the end of the call.
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Any pharmacy
Show the code from the SMS or email at any farmácia in Portugal. Common medicines are usually in stock the same day.
Price
19 €
Short video consultation for a regular medicine you already take. Electronic prescription included if the doctor can issue it safely. If it turns out to be a new problem, the doctor will tell you — that is a 39 € general consultation.
Replace my prescription — €19Usually possible by video
- Blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid, diabetes tablets, asthma inhalers, the contraceptive pill, an antidepressant you have taken for months
- You know the name and dose, or can show the box, a photo or an old prescription
- Your dose has been stable and nothing new is wrong
- You can join a video call from your phone
Do not wait
- Insulin, epilepsy medicine, blood thinners, heart-rhythm or transplant medicines: book today — missing doses can be dangerous
- Already missed doses and feeling unwell (very high or low blood sugar, a seizure, palpitations): ER or 112
- Chest pain, trouble breathing, stroke signs — call 112
- Sweating, shaking or confusion after suddenly stopping a medicine
For a genuine emergency, call 112 or go to a public hospital emergency room (urgência).
FAQ
When can I get my medicine?
If the doctor can prescribe it, the e-prescription code arrives by SMS or email at the end of the video call. Most pharmacies have common medicines in stock the same day.
Is it 19 € or 39 €?
19 € for replacing a regular medicine you already take. If the doctor decides there is a new problem to assess, that is a full 39 € consultation — you are told before anything changes.
I lost my insulin. What should I do?
Book today and say so in the booking notes. If you have already missed doses and feel very thirsty, drowsy or are vomiting, go to the ER or call 112.
Will my travel insurance pay?
Many policies cover outpatient or telemedicine care. You receive an invoice to claim with your insurer.
Can I get the morning-after pill without a prescription?
Yes. In Portugal emergency contraception is sold at pharmacies without a prescription.
Reviewed by the Lon Clinic medical team
General information for visitors in Portugal. It does not replace an individual medical consultation. In an emergency call 112.