Regulatory
Do I need a prescription to buy medicine in the Philippines?
Last updated
In the Philippines, prescription (Rx) medicines may only be dispensed against a valid written prescription from a licensed physician, while over-the-counter medicines may be bought without one. Pharmacies are legally required to refuse Rx medicines without a prescription, and this applies equally to in-store and online orders.
Philippine medicines are classified by how they may be sold. Over-the-counter products can be bought directly. Prescription-only medicines — most antibiotics, cardiovascular and diabetes maintenance medicines, and controlled substances among them — require a valid prescription from a physician licensed by the Professional Regulation Commission.
A pharmacy that dispenses an Rx medicine without a prescription is not doing you a favour. It is committing a regulatory offence that puts its Licence to Operate and its pharmacist's PRC licence at risk, and it removes the clinical check that exists to catch dosing errors and dangerous interactions.
What a valid prescription must show
- The prescribing physician's name, PRC licence number and signature.
- The patient's name, age and address.
- The medicine's generic name — required under the Generics Act of 1988 (RA 6675).
- Strength, dosage form, quantity, and directions for use.
- The date it was issued.
Note
This is general information about Philippine dispensing rules, not medical advice. Speak to your physician or a licensed pharmacist about your own medicines. Controlled substances carry stricter requirements than described here.