Pharmacy (Eczane) in Turkey

Whenever Turkish people have minor illnesses, they usually go to a pharmacy first, or eczane in Turksh, for medicine even before seeing a doctor. Pharmacies in Turkey are easily recognisable since in front of each is a res “E” emblazoned on a square white background. In big cities, like Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, you can find a pharmacy easily in almost everywhere. In small towns, they are usually located near a hospital or a health centre.

Why do people in Turkey visit pharmacy first?

In many countries, including Turkey, people are usually told to see a doctor before taking a medicine even though it is a minor illness. However, we can say that in Turkey, people usually go to a pharmacy instead of seeing a doctor for minor illnesses. First of all, we recommend you to see a doctor before going to pharmacy for your illness to take medicine. On the other hand, pharmacists (eczacı) in Turkey are usually well trained and can dispense many of the medicines. They would also help you to recommend a doctor looking at your symptoms.

What can you find in a pharmacy in Turkey besides medicine and drugs?

Pharmacies in Turkey might function as a large grocery store in your home country. There are things that you can find in a pharmacy in Turkey that are normally sold in large grocery stores in many western countries. Those are, like Aspirin, throat lozenges, antiseptic cremes, condoms, and mosquito repellent.

On-duty Pharmacies

If you need to go to a pharmacy in Turkey during the national holidays and on weekends, you will need to find the on-duty pharmacy (nöbetçi eczane) in your area. You can find the nearest on-duty pharmacy if you just go to any pharmacy since the name of the nearest ones are usually written on a paper taped to the glass in front of the closed pharmacies.