Can I take a medicine from another country?
Only if you are sure it has the same active ingredient and strength as the one you were prescribed, and your pharmacist or doctor agrees. A medicine from another country can have a different brand name, a different strength, and sometimes a different ingredient under a familiar name, so never judge it by the name alone.
What to check before you take it
- 1Find the active ingredient. It is the generic name on the box, often printed under the brand name. Compare it with the ingredient of the medicine you know.
- 2Compare the strength and the form. 500 mg is not the same as 250 mg, and a tablet is not the same as a liquid or a patch.
- 3Read the label and the leaflet. If you cannot read the language, take a clear photo of the box and ask your pharmacist, or scan it with an app that can identify it.
- 4Ask a pharmacist or doctor before you take it. Do this especially for prescription medicines, for children, in pregnancy, or if you take other medicines.
In short
A medicine bought abroad is not automatically the same as the one you use at home. Checking the active ingredient and strength first is the safe habit, and a pharmacist can confirm it in a minute. If you travel with your own medicines, the rules differ from country to country, so check the official rules of the country you are visiting before you go. Scanning the barcode or photographing the box helps the app find the active ingredient.
How Pharmacy Cabinet helps
- Scan the barcode or photograph the box, and the app helps you identify the medicine, including its active ingredient.
- Coverage keeps growing and includes the USA, UK, EU, Switzerland, Norway, Australia, India, KSA, Qatar and Canada. Always check the result against the box.
- Save the medicine in your cabinet with its strength and expiry date, so you know exactly what it is later.
- Works in your browser and as an Android app, in six languages. You can start free.
Photograph or scan a box and Pharmacy Cabinet fills in the details for you.
Pharmacy Cabinet helps you identify and organize the medicines you already have. It never gives dosing advice and is not medical advice: always ask your pharmacist or doctor before you take a medicine.
Share Pharmacy Cabinet with family and friends
More guides
- Home medicine cabinet organizer: know what you have in minutes
- Medicine expiry tracker: never find an expired medicine again
- Family medicine cabinet: one shared medicine tracker for everyone
- Medication reminder app: pill reminders that follow your own schedule
- A medicine from another country? Scan it anyway
- Medicine tracker and reminder app in your own language
- Barcode scan or photo of the box: which identifies a medicine best?
- The best way to keep track of medicines at home: notebook, spreadsheet, alarm or an app?
- How do I know if a medicine has expired?