Pharmacies and Medication in Vietnam

Pharmacies in Vietnam are everywhere — independent shops on most blocks, plus three big chains that have professionalised the market over the past decade. For most minor complaints, walking into a pharmacy and describing your symptoms is faster and cheaper than seeing a doctor. For anything serious, see a doctor first.

This article is general information. It is not medical advice. For specific dosages, interactions, or anything chronic, consult a pharmacist or doctor.

The big chains

Long Chau is the largest and most reliable national chain. Bright yellow signage, computerised inventory, staff who can usually find the right thing in English with patience or Google Translate. They stock branded imports as well as Vietnamese generics. Prices are fair.

Pharmacity is the second-biggest chain, blue and white branding, very similar in standard to Long Chau. Slightly more concentrated in HCMC.

Medicare is a Hong Kong-owned chain with a more "health and beauty store" feel — vitamins, skincare, baby formula, plus a basic pharmacy counter. Useful for imported brands.

Independent neighbourhood pharmacies (usually with a green cross) are cheaper but quality and English ability vary wildly. Fine for paracetamol; less reliable for anything you actually need to get right.

What you can buy over the counter

Vietnam is significantly more permissive than Europe, the UK, Australia, or the US about what counts as OTC.

Antibiotics are sold without prescription almost everywhere — amoxicillin, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, etc. This is a public health problem at the population level (resistance is rising fast) and a personal one for travellers who self-diagnose wrongly. Do not treat yourself with antibiotics on a hunch. See a doctor.

Most regular medicines are OTC: painkillers, antihistamines, antacids, basic asthma inhalers (Ventolin), oral contraceptives, common antifungals, basic eye drops.

Mild sleep aids like diphenhydramine are easy to find.

What is not easily available: controlled substances. ADHD medication (Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta) is tightly restricted and you will struggle to source it. Strong opioids are hospital-only. Benzodiazepines are technically prescription-only and pharmacies enforce this inconsistently — do not rely on it. Stimulants and most psychotropics need a prescription from a Vietnamese-licensed doctor.

If you take any of these regularly, bring a documented supply for your whole trip plus a buffer, with the original packaging and a doctor's letter.

Common product names

Brand names in Vietnam often differ from what you are used to:

• Panadol = paracetamol/acetaminophen — same as at home.
• Efferalgan = effervescent paracetamol, very popular here.
• Decolgen and Tiffy = combination cold/flu tablets.
• Smecta = diosmectite, the standard local anti-diarrhoeal — usually offered first.
• Oresol or Hydrite = oral rehydration salts. Buy a few sachets prophylactically.
• Berberine = traditional anti-diarrhoeal, sold cheap, generally well-tolerated.
• Strepsils and Tyrothricin lozenges are everywhere for sore throats.

For mosquito bites, Soffell repellent (Indonesian brand) and Remos are common; both contain DEET or picaridin.

Pricing

Vietnamese-generic medicines are very cheap — a pack of paracetamol is 10,000–20,000 VND (under a dollar). A course of common antibiotics is 50,000–150,000 VND. Imported branded medicines cost roughly what they do in Europe.

Hours and 24-hour options

Most pharmacies are open roughly 7 am to 10 pm, seven days. The big chains in major cities have selected 24-hour branches — Long Chau in particular publishes a list on their app. In Hanoi, 24-hour pharmacies cluster around Bach Mai Hospital. In HCMC, around Cho Ray and District 1.

For after-hours emergencies, Family Medical Practice branches (Hanoi, HCMC, Da Nang) have an on-call doctor who can prescribe and arrange delivery.

What to bring from home

A small kit makes life easier:

• Your usual prescription medicines, with documentation.
• A small supply of any specific brand you trust (some travellers find local generics work less well for them).
• Strong sunscreen — locally sold sunscreen is often "whitening" formulated and can be hard to find above SPF 50.
• Tampons in larger sizes — sold but limited choice.
• Contact lens solution in your preferred brand — limited choice locally.
• Any specialist creams, drops, or inhalers you cannot easily describe in another language.

For more on what you might actually need, see common illnesses travellers face and dengue fever.