The first pharmacies in Bulgaria appeared in 1879. Until 1990, all of them belonged exclusively to the state. And only at the end of the 20th century, the pharmaceutical business in the country was withdrawn to the private sector. Going on a trip to this part of Europe, it is useful to be guided by what drugs are on the free sale, and what you need a prescription for, what is the pricing policy and what analogues can be used to replace the usual drugs.
Features of Bulgarian medicine
Medicine in Bulgaria is insurance and is based on making contributions to the National Health Insurance Fund. Both Bulgarians and foreign citizens who live in the country on the basis of a permanent or long-term permit have the opportunity to use it.
Citizens of the state pay a monthly insurance fee without fail. Others do it voluntarily if they want to use the services of the health care system free of charge.
Employed persons are covered by the employer, the unemployed must take care of this on their own. On average, the amount of one payment reaches 17 levs (about 9 euros). If a person is employed, the amount of the contribution will depend on his salary.
Foreigners, including tourists and temporary residents, pay for medical services through their insurance or on their own. And although this can result in a considerable budget, it is still cheaper to get help in Bulgaria than, for example, in Austria or Germany.
Medicines in Bulgaria are also somewhat cheaper compared to other countries.
Peculiarities of buying medicines
Some medicines in Bulgaria are sold without a prescription. Usually these are antipyretic and pain relievers, pills for allergies, for a runny nose and for a sore throat, drugs that are taken for disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, and some others. A doctor's appointment on a hospital letterhead with a signature and seal will be required when it comes to drugs containing narcotic and psychotropic substances, or antibiotics.
Local pharmacists are very loyal to prescriptions from other countries, if you can accurately indicate the name of the medicine, the form of its release and the dosage. You will have to get a prescription from a Bulgarian doctor if you need to buy medicines in Bulgaria with a potent effect from the list of prescriptions.
You can buy medicines directly at the pharmacy or online.
Pharmacies can be found at every turn, both in resort towns and in small towns. Those close to the beach are open until 21.00, some 24 hours a day. In large cities, 24-hour pharmacies can be found one in each district, in small ones - one for the entire city.
The smaller the settlement, the fewer places in it where you can buy medicines. So, for example, the list of pharmacies in Sveti Vlas is very small:
- in shopping pavilions right behind the Lazur hotel;
- next to the hotel "Alexander";
- at the Shilka hotel;
- on the main square of the city.
At the leading resorts of the country, the language barrier will not arise: they have become Russian-speaking for a long time. If they refuse to sell a drug due to a lack of a prescription, ask your pharmacist where you can find the nearest doctor's office. But be prepared for the fact that the admission will cost about 20-30 leva (10-15 euros).
For convenience, here are the addresses of pharmacies in some cities:
| Locality | Addresses |
|---|---|
| Sozopol | Pharmacy "Sozopol", st. Republican, 16. |
| Pomorie | Pharmacy "Tilia 3", st. Professor Stoyanov, 40 |
| Nessebar | St. Anne's pharmacy, st. Otets Paisiy, 13а |
| Varna | St. Dunav, 76, Provadia (Nedyalka Spasova) St. Cyril and Methodius, 2 (Yordanov's Pharmacy) St. King Liberator, 27 (Phaemacy Rumipharm) |
| Plovdiv | Framar, bul. Hristo Botev, 85 West-Venice railway k. "Izgrev", st. Prespa, 7 "Artpharma", st. Solunska, 6 |
| Sofia | "Phoenix", st. Paisii Hilendarski, 39 "Diaspar", st. Gagarin, 4 |
In Bulgaria, there are still drugstores-museums, in which everything looks as if the 19th century is outside the window. For example, the Hippocrates pharmacy in Plovdiv.
It is convenient to buy medicines online. Many pharmacy chains in Bulgaria have their own websites, where you can buy drugs and parapharmaceutical products with delivery. You can use the following resources:
- www.lavur.bg - on the site you can buy vitamins, preparations for children, personal hygiene products, cosmetics, food supplements, medicines. There is no Russian version;
- www.marvi.bg - for purchases from 50 leva (about 26 euros), this online pharmacy in Bulgaria will deliver the order free of charge. In addition to medications, here you can buy cosmetics, medical devices for home use;
- www.multipharm.eu - the portal has only the Bulgarian version. Here you will be offered non-prescription drugs, dietary supplements, hygiene products, vitamins, homeopathic products, medicines for the child.
For fans of promotions and discounts, as well as those who have to save money, Internet pharmacies in Bulgaria regularly prepare special offers and best prices. To find out about them, you need to register on the resource you like and subscribe to updates.
How prices are formed
The sale of any medicines on the territory of Bulgaria is possible only after prices have been set for them. The law prescribes that the selling price of drugs should not exceed that which appeared as a result of government pricing.
The prices for medicines in Bulgaria are formed in one of the following ways:
- They are annually established by the so-called Positive List: socially significant drugs that are subject to reimbursement are included in it (that is, their cost to patients is compensated by the city budget).
- As the price cap for a prescription drug.
- As the manufacturer's registered price for a non-prescription drug.
The authorized pricing authority prepares a register of prices every year, which is sent to the European Commission for approval. This list is freely available on the Internet.
Analogues of Russian medicines
To facilitate the search for medicines in pharmacies in Bulgaria, we present a list of analogues that can replace the names popular in the homeland:
| Drugs sold in Russia | Analog that can be bought in Bulgaria | Approximate cost in euros |
|---|---|---|
| Paracetamol syrup for children 3% 90 ml | "Efferalgan" syrup | 1,5 |
| "Erius", "Lergostop", "Claramax (for allergies) syrup 0.5 ml / mg 60 ml | "Claritin" | 5 |
| "Sulgin", "Ekofuril" tab. (means for the gastrointestinal tract) 40 mg, No. 25 | "Espumisan" | 3 |
| "Bifiform" for babies (probiotic) capsules No. 20 | "Lactoflor kids" capsules | 3.5 |
| Galazolin, Xylometazoline, Fornos drops 0.05% 10 ml | Xylorin (nasal spray) | 3 |
| "Proposol" (for throat) spray 20g | Propolis spray | 4 |
| "Lactovit Forte" (gastrointestinal disorders) No. 14 caps. | "Diarino" capsules | 3 |
| Hydrogen peroxide | Oxygen water | 2 |
| Patch | Lepenka | 2 |
Import and export of drugs from the country
Taking care of our health makes us look for the best remedies and the best drugs if we are somewhere abroad. But it is very important to know not only what medicines to bring from Bulgaria, but also how to get them out of the country.
The standard customs rule applies here: the import and export of drugs containing potent psychotropic and narcotic substances is prohibited. If a person crossing the border is shown taking drugs from the prohibited list, you must have a doctor's prescription with you, translated into Bulgarian and certified by a notary.
When transporting pills and other drugs on the plane, it is better to check them in your luggage, but do not forget that their number should correspond to the norm per person. Prohibitions and restrictions can be found on the website of the Bulgarian customs service.
Information about what medicines or vitamins are being brought from Bulgaria will be useful. Most often these are:
- rose oil and cosmetics based on it;
- antipyretic drugs for children;
- Zdrave cream (for peeling, irritation, allergic reaction);
- "Oscillococcinum" (cheaper than in the Russian Federation) - homeopathic medicine for the prevention of influenza;
- herbal teas - it is believed that here they are of high quality and are really rich in useful components.
Outcomes
The pharmacy business in the Republic of Bulgaria is run by the Ministry of Health. Today, both public and private institutions can be found here. You can buy drugs at a regular pharmacy or online. Prescription drugs are dispensed, which include narcotic and psychotropic substances. The prices of medicines are regulated by the state.
