User:Obsolete HM/sandbox

Difference between Pharmacies and Parapharmacies (Portugal)
Be aware that in Portugal (as well in some other European countries) you will see two different places were you can get medication.

In Pharmacies/Chemist's it is sold all kind of medication, subject or not to medical prescription. In Parapharmacies you can only buy medication not subject to medical prescription.

It can be really hard to distinguish one and another in terms of visual appearance as generally, in one and another, the exterior dominating colour is green and also might have a green cross. One effective way to see where you are about to enter if in a Pharmacy or a Parapharmacy is by the name of the establishment. To be a Pharmacy, obligatorily before the trade name it must be written "Farmácia" (Pharmacy in Portuguese). If u see something that seems to be a Pharmacy but you can't find the word "Farmácia", almost certainly you are about to enter in a Parapharmacy. Notice that Parapharmacies dont need to have the name "Parapharmacy" (or "Parapharmacie") present before the trade name. Besides the trade name, if you dont see "Parapharmacie" as the store designation, try to search for "MNSRN" (the abreviation for "Medication not subject to prescription" in Portuguese) or something related to Healthcare.

What considers a certain medicine subject or not to medical prescription is the Portuguese health laws. Notice that are lots of medicines that are technically subject to prescription but the pharmacist sell it anyway because it contraindications do not brings severe problems to your organism or the law is not so rigid about it composition. This "modus operandi" is international. That type of medicines are only sold in Pharmacies because they are defined as subject to prescription, so, even if you can get it at a Pharmacy without having a prescription, dont lose your time searching for it in a Parapharmacy because they are a Pharmacy exclusive.

So....what you can generally buy in Parapharmacies? Almost everything you buy in Pharmacies for example: Painkillers and Anti-Inflammatory Medicines(Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Diclofenac), Allergy Medicines, Cough Medicines, Indigestion Medicines, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease / Stomach Ulcers Medicines (Omeprazole, Pantoprazole, Esomeprazole), Bloated Belly and Diarrhea Medicines (Imodium, etc...), Morning After Pill, Athlete's Foot and Anti-Fungal Medication, Mouth Ulcers Medication, Cold Sore Creams, Multivitamins, Hydrocortisone (only mixed with miconazole),etc, etc, etc... Notice that some compositions of some medicines (not all!!) are limited in terms of milligrams in Parapharmacies. For example, you cannot buy Omeprazole 40 mg. Only 20 mg are available in Parapharmacies. Parapharmacies also might include the sale of Childcare products, all types of Dermocosmetics, Suncare Products, Higiene Products, Body and Hair Products, Manicure/Pedicure goods (twezzers, nail clippers and files, etc...), and many many other products...

What definatelly you cannot buy in Parapharmacies that are only available in Pharmacies? Heart Condition Medicines, Antibiotics, Diabetes Medicines, Hormones, Codeine, Injectable Medicines, Plain Cortisone Creams, Asthma Medication..... Basically, all the medicines that according to the Portuguese law are not suitable to sell without having a prescription.

HM