Pharmacies in Poland Will Operate Under New Rules

From the new year, Poland is introducing changes to the way pharmacies operate. The new provisions are defined by an amendment to the Act on the Reimbursement of Medicines, Special Purpose Food Products and Medical Devices.

How will pharmacies in Poland work in 2024? How will night and public holiday hours change?

Read on to find out.

What Changes in Pharmacy Operations Are Expected in Poland?

The changes concern pharmacy working hours on public holidays and at night. As is well known, the opening hours of various retail establishments in Poland are a subject of ongoing debate, and the authorities periodically attempt to improve the situation through legislation.

Under the amendment, from January 2024 Polish pharmacies will be required to maintain a duty shift on public holidays. What does this mean in practice? Each public holiday will have a designated 4-hour window during which the pharmacy must be open without exception. Holiday hours will fall between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. The pharmacy works these four hours without interruption (for example, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.).

The amendment also establishes provisions for night-time duty shifts. These are shorter — two uninterrupted hours — and can be scheduled between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m.

The Act also includes changes that allow for extended pharmacy hours when needed. This matter has been left to the discretion of local authorities in Poland. Local governments in towns with a population of more than 40,000 may also designate a round-the-clock duty pharmacy.

What Else Should You Know About Pharmacies in Poland?

1. The majority of medicines in Polish pharmacies are sold strictly by prescription. There is no way around this rule — make sure to get a prescription in advance. It is worth noting that in some larger cities and towns near the border, it is sometimes possible to purchase medicines with a Ukrainian prescription. Without a prescription in Poland you can buy: ⇒ cold and flu remedies; ⇒ fever-reducing medications; ⇒ analgesics (painkillers); ⇒ vitamins; ⇒ herbal and homeopathic preparations, dietary supplements and food additives; ⇒ cosmetic products.
2. Medicines manufactured in Poland or within the EU can sometimes be even cheaper than in Ukraine. Imported medicines, however, tend to be more expensive.
3. Rare or hard-to-find medicines are best searched for in online pharmacies — they may be out of stock not only in individual pharmacies, but even across fairly large cities.
4. To search for medicines you can use the Kto.Malek.pl website or app. Other popular aggregators for finding medical products include Gdzie po lek and Doz. These platforms make it easy not only to find medicines, but also to compare prices across pharmacies in Poland. Remember that you need to know the Polish name of the medicine you are looking for.
5. We would also like to remind you that if your health deteriorates on weekends, public holidays or at night, you can always go to the emergency department.