Pharmacy

In Germany, you can get medicines only at a pharmacy. Unlike many other countries, the pharmacy/ Apotheke has a different symbol (not a green cross) and is not a chemist's shop or a drugstore  ( this is called a Drogerie which only sells vitamin tablets or perhaps simple cough mixtures).

In the Apotheke, you can obtain three categories of medicines: on prescription only, only for sale at dispensing pharmacy, and freely available. The German Medical Preparations Act is very strict and therefore some medicines that might be freely available in your country (antibiotics, for example) always have to be prescribed by a doctor here. Medicines that are on prescription will be given strictly only to the patient referred in the prescription by a doctor!

Initially, students with private health insurance (generally those over 30 years of age) have to pay for their medicines themselves and then submit the receipts to the health insurance company for a refund.

In general, pharmacies are open from 8:30 am to 6:30 pm; some of them close for lunch. On Wednesday afternoons some pharmacies remain closed.

If you are suffering from a minor pain, a cold, or a headache, you do not necessarily need to go to a doctor; you can ask the highly qualified personnel at the pharmacy for advice. But in cases of serious illness there is no substitute for the doctor's diagnosis and treatment!

A pharmacy in the University neighborhood/Apotheke in der Nähe der Uni

Universitäts-Apotheke
Davenportplatz 13
Phone: 0631 12100

Opening hours:
Mon – Fri 8:30  am – 6:30 pm
Sat 8:30  am– 1:00 pm