Buying medicine in Sharm El Sheikh: questions and answers

For prescription medicines, yes. Egyptian law prohibits selling them without a valid prescription from a licensed doctor. Many everyday products, such as paracetamol, loratadine, saline nasal sprays and sunscreen, are sold without one. Even then, the pharmacist may ask a few questions about your symptoms and health before recommending a product.

Often the active ingredient is the same, but the brand name, strength and pack can differ. For example, Adol contains paracetamol and Claritine contains loratadine. A box that looks familiar may still contain a different amount or type of active ingredient. Compare the ingredient and strength, and ask our pharmacist to check.

Look for the active ingredient and strength on your box or leaflet, not the brand name. Send us a photo on WhatsApp at +20 120 344 2201. On Egyptian packs, the active ingredient is printed under the trade name in English and Arabic, so our pharmacist can match it and show you the options.

No. Antibiotics are prescription medicines, and Egyptian law prohibits selling prescription medicines without a valid prescription from a licensed doctor. Antibiotics also do not work for viral infections such as colds and flu. If you think you need one, see a doctor first. If a doctor prescribes one, we can help you find it.

Yes. We stock products for babies and children, such as Otrivin Baby saline drops, Tiny Brainies gummies, and Johnson's baby shampoo. Ask us about other children's medicines. Doses for children differ from adult doses, so always ask a pharmacist or doctor first. If you are worried about a baby or child, see a doctor.

Tell us on WhatsApp what you need, with a photo of the box if possible. We can look for a product with the same active ingredient and strength, if one is sold in Egypt. If it was prescribed, check any change with your doctor.

«Госаптека» is short for «Государственная аптека», Russian for “state pharmacy”. These words are in our shop window, and many tourists use the short form. For us, it means official, state-set prices, not state ownership: registered medicines are sold at the price set by the Egyptian Drug Authority and printed on the pack.

The same registered medicine should cost the same everywhere: the Egyptian Drug Authority sets one official price, and pharmacies may not charge a different one without its approval. But one active ingredient can come in several brands with different official prices, and pack sizes vary. Ask for the total first, or send us a photo.

Look at the box: registered medicines in Egypt must show the approved price on the outer pack. Compare the active ingredient, strength and pack size, not just the brand. Ask for the total before you pay. You can also send us a photo on WhatsApp, and we will tell you our price before you buy.

You can pay in any currency, including Egyptian pounds, US dollars, euros and roubles. Registered medicines have official prices in Egyptian pounds, so ask which exchange rate applies before you pay. We will tell you the total in your currency, so there are no surprises at the counter.

Whatever you buy, keep each medicine in its original pack until you are home, as the pack shows the name, active ingredient and strength. If you need a receipt, for example for travel insurance, ask the pharmacist when you pay.

Send a WhatsApp message to +20 120 344 2201 with your hotel name and the products you need. A photo of the box or a short description of your symptoms helps our pharmacist. Delivery is free for orders from $30, anywhere in Sharm El Sheikh. You can pay in any currency, including Egyptian pounds, US dollars, euros and roubles.

For purchases from $50, we take you from your hotel to the pharmacy and back for free. Book it on WhatsApp at +20 120 344 2201: send your hotel name and when you would like to come. At the pharmacy, you can see the products and talk to a pharmacist.

We deliver everywhere in Sharm El Sheikh, from Nabq to the Old Market. We can also send orders to Russia and other CIS countries. Send your hotel name on WhatsApp to +20 120 344 2201. Delivery is free for orders from $30.

Yes. We can send orders to Russia and other CIS countries. Message us on WhatsApp at +20 120 344 2201 with the products you need, and we will tell you which ones can be sent, the cost and the delivery time. Rules for sending medicines differ by country, so some products may not be allowed.

The time depends on where your hotel is. When you order on WhatsApp, ask us for an estimate, and tell us if you need help urgently. For a medical emergency, do not wait for a delivery: in Egypt, call 123 for an ambulance.

All our pharmacies are open every day until 1:00 AM, so you can visit us until then. If someone is seriously unwell at night, do not wait for a pharmacy: in Egypt, call 123 for an ambulance.

We have 5 pharmacies across Sharm El Sheikh. Two are on Google Maps: Naama Bay, beside Maritim Jolie Ville Resort & Casino on Hussein Salem Street, and El Montazah, inside Aladdin Shopping Center next to Elmar Resort. The other three are spread across Sharm El Sheikh. Send your hotel name on WhatsApp to find the nearest.

All our pharmacies are open every day until 1:00 AM. To check before you come, send us a WhatsApp message at +20 120 344 2201.

Open our Google Maps pin for Naama Bay or Nabq (El Montazah) and show the address to your taxi driver. For purchases from $50, we offer a free transfer from your hotel to the pharmacy and back. Not sure which pharmacy is closest? Send your hotel name on WhatsApp, and we will tell you.

Yes. Our Naama Bay pharmacy is beside Maritim Jolie Ville Resort & Casino on Hussein Salem Street, one of the pedestrian streets of the Naama Bay promenade. It is open every day until 1:00 AM, and our pharmacists speak English, Russian, Ukrainian and Italian. Delivery to Naama Bay hotels is free for orders from $30.

Our pharmacists speak English, Russian, Ukrainian and Italian, so you can explain your symptoms in your own language and get clear advice on how to use a product. You can also write to us on WhatsApp in any of these four languages. If you speak another language, a photo of the box often helps.

Yes. Send your question to +20 120 344 2201 in English, Russian, Ukrainian or Italian. Tell us the symptoms, the age of the person, and any medicines or allergies. Our pharmacist can suggest suitable over-the-counter products. For serious symptoms, see a doctor, and in an emergency in Egypt, call 123 for an ambulance.

Yes, please do. A clear photo of the box or leaflet shows us the active ingredient, strength and form. We can then look for the same product or an Egyptian equivalent and tell you our price. Photograph the front of the pack and the side that lists the ingredients.

Rest and drink plenty of fluids, in small sips if you feel sick. Oral rehydration sachets help replace lost fluids. Avoid fruit juice and fizzy drinks. Do not give anti-diarrhoea medicine to children under 12. See a doctor if you cannot keep fluids down, have bloody diarrhoea, or have diarrhoea for more than 7 days.

Get out of the sun and cool the skin with a cool shower or damp towel. Apply after-sun or an unperfumed moisturiser, drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol. Do not pop blisters or use ice. See a doctor if the skin blisters or swells, if you feel dizzy or sick, or if a child is sunburnt.

Ask a lifeguard or first aider for help if you can. Rinse the area with seawater, not fresh water. Remove any spines with tweezers, then soak the area in very warm water for at least 30 minutes. Do not use ice. Call 123 for an ambulance if there is difficulty breathing, chest pain or severe swelling.

Colds are caused by viruses, not by air-conditioning itself. Rest, drink plenty of fluids, and breathe in steam to ease a blocked nose. Ask us about pain relief and nasal sprays: decongestant sprays should not be used for more than a week. See a doctor if symptoms last over 10 days or you feel short of breath.

See a doctor if symptoms are severe, getting worse or not improving, or if the person who is unwell is a baby, pregnant, or has a long-term condition. In Egypt, call 123 for an ambulance for chest pain, difficulty breathing, fits, swelling of the face or throat, confusion, or vomiting blood.

Yes, for personal use. Russian law lets travellers bring in medicines for their own use, including ones not registered in Russia. Medicines with potent, poisonous, narcotic or psychotropic substances need documents showing they were prescribed to you, with name and quantity, plus a notarised Russian translation. Keep medicines in their original packs. More in our guide to taking medicines home from Egypt.

Only what you need for personal use: Egyptian customs guidance for departing passengers does not allow medicines beyond that. In hand luggage, liquids must be in containers of 100 ml or less, in one clear bag of up to one litre. Essential medicines may be allowed in larger amounts with supporting documents.

For ordinary medicines for personal use, Russian law does not ask for documents. Medicines with potent, poisonous, narcotic or psychotropic substances need a prescription or medical document showing name and quantity, with a notarised Russian translation. The law does not mention receipts, but keeping one with the original pack shows what you bought. Other countries have their own rules.

We stock Lotus black seed, argan, aloe vera, coconut, jasmine, marjoram and pumpkin seed oils, and Emami 7 Oils for hair. Tell us if it is for skin, hair or a gift. Test a little on your inner arm first, keep oils away from your eyes, and ask a doctor before swallowing any oil or using it in pregnancy.

We sell named brands, such as Lotus and Emami, in labelled bottles, so you can read the ingredients before you buy. Our pharmacists can explain the label in English, Russian, Ukrainian or Italian.

Yes, if each bottle holds 100 ml or less and all your liquids fit in one clear, resealable bag of up to one litre. Larger bottles must go in your checked baggage. Close the caps tightly and pack bottles in a sealed plastic bag to avoid leaks. Rules can vary, so check with your airline.