Pharmacies

Brussels has a large number of chemists, which are identified by a sign with a neon green cross. They are generally open daily from Monday to Friday and often on Saturday mornings. They provide a rotating emergency service on Saturday afternoons and on Sundays (addresses are posted up every month in chemist shop windows and listed on the website www.pharmacie.be).

Some medicines are available without prescription. The cost of these medicines is not refunded. Other more specific medicines are sold only upon doctor’s prescription and are generally partly reimbursed by the 'mutualité'.

Nearly all medicines available on the international market can be found in Belgium, but they may be sold under another name than in your home country. In that case, you should ask your home doctor to make out a prescription with its chemical composition, or show your local chemist the original packaging.

The Belgian government now has a policy of encouraging doctors to prescribe generic medicines. These have exactly the same properties as the original medicines, but are at least 30% cheaper.

Apart from medicines, chemists also sell diet products, skin and hair care products as well as baby foods. Some chemists specialise in homeopathic medicines (which are not reimbursed), while others rent certain types of medical equipment.