Electronic
Prescriptions
in Spain
Access licensed, English-speaking doctors who can assess your condition by video and issue electronic prescriptions accepted at any pharmacy in Spain.
No Spanish insurance required. No language barrier. Book a same-day consultation and collect your medication from a local pharmacy.
Video Consultation
Same-day or next-day appointments
Electronic Prescription
Receta electrónica issued during consultation
Any Spanish Pharmacy
Collect medication the same day
No Insurance Required
Expats, tourists, seasonal residents
Can I get a prescription online in Spain?
Yes. A licensed doctor registered in Spain can issue an electronic prescription after a video consultation. The prescription is sent digitally and accepted at any pharmacy in the country. You don't need Spanish insurance or residency.
How It Works
From consultation to pharmacy
The process starts with a video consultation. You book online, speak with a doctor through a secure video link, and describe your symptoms or medical needs. The doctor reviews your history, asks the right clinical questions, and makes a prescribing decision based on their assessment.
If medication is appropriate, the doctor issues an electronic prescription (receta electrónica) during the consultation. This is the same digital format used by every GP and hospital in Spain. You take it to any pharmacy, present your identification, and collect your medication. There's no paper script to lose and no need to visit a clinic in person.
Not every consultation results in a prescription. Doctors prescribe only when clinically justified, and some conditions require an in-person examination before medication can be issued. That's good medicine, not a limitation of the service.
Scope of Prescribing
What can be prescribed online
Doctors accessed through Costa Health can prescribe a broad range of medications following online consultations. Acute infections such as urinary tract infections, chest infections, and skin infections are among the most common reasons patients book. A short course of antibiotics, when clinically indicated, can be prescribed and collected from a pharmacy within the hour.
Travel medications are another frequent request. Antimalarials, altitude sickness prevention, and traveller's diarrhoea kits can all be prescribed ahead of a trip, provided the doctor is satisfied with your medical history.
Ongoing prescriptions for stable conditions are also possible. If you're already taking medication for blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid function, or similar, and you can provide evidence of your existing prescription, a doctor can often issue the Spanish equivalent. Dr Melanie Lake has particular expertise in hormonal treatments, including HRT for perimenopause and menopause.
There are clear boundaries. Controlled substances (opioids, benzodiazepines, stimulants) are not prescribed through this service. These medications require in-person assessment, and the AEMPS (Agencia Española de Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios) prohibits the online sale of prescription-only medicines in Spain. Medications requiring regular blood monitoring, such as warfarin or lithium, will typically need an in-person pathway. Your doctor will always be upfront about what falls outside the scope of a video consultation.
Who It's For
Expats, tourists and seasonal residents
Tourists often need medication quickly. A chest infection that develops mid-holiday or a child's ear infection shouldn't mean hours in a Spanish urgencias trying to explain symptoms in a second language. A 15-minute video call with an English-speaking doctor gets the right medication prescribed and ready for pharmacy collection.
Expats face a different problem. Many arrive in Spain with a supply of medication from their home country that eventually runs out. Obtaining a Spanish prescription through the public health system can involve long waits and language difficulties. Dr Raquel Delgado, who consults in both English and Spanish, regularly helps patients transition their existing prescriptions to the Spanish system.
Seasonal residents and remote workers fall somewhere in between. They're here long enough to need medical care but may not have registered with a local centro de salud. Costa Health's prescribing service fills that gap without paperwork or bureaucracy.
Safe Prescribing
Regulation, safety and what to expect
Every prescription issued through Costa Health comes from a doctor who is independently licensed and registered within the Spanish healthcare system. Costa Health does not prescribe medication. It connects patients with qualified doctors who make their own clinical decisions in accordance with Spanish law.
A common misconception is that online prescribing means buying medication over the internet. That's not how it works. Under AEMPS regulations, prescription-only medicines cannot be sold online in Spain. The doctor assesses you, decides whether medication is appropriate, and issues a prescription that you collect in person from a licensed pharmacy. The pharmacy dispenses the medication, checks for interactions, and provides dosage guidance, exactly as it would for any other prescription.
Some patients wonder whether an online consultation is as thorough as a face-to-face appointment. Research published in the British Journal of General Practice suggests that video consultations can achieve comparable clinical outcomes to in-person visits for many routine primary care presentations. The key is clinical judgement. When a doctor determines that a physical examination is needed, they'll tell you so and arrange it.
Costa Health has an in-person pathway for cases that need it. Dr Delgado also consults from a clinic in Estepona, Dr Lake has clinics in Benalmadena and Marbella. Costa Health partners with Helicopteros Sanitarios for urgent home visits across the Costa del Sol. The online consultation is a starting point, not the only option.
Know the Limits
When to go to A&E instead
Online prescribing is not a substitute for emergency care. If you're experiencing chest pain, difficulty breathing, signs of stroke (sudden facial drooping, arm weakness, speech changes), severe allergic reactions, or heavy uncontrolled bleeding, go directly to your nearest urgencias or call 112.
Similarly, if you've run out of a time-critical medication such as insulin, anti-epileptics, or immunosuppressants, a pharmacy in Spain can often supply a small emergency quantity without a prescription. Don't wait for an online appointment in these situations. Speak to your nearest pharmacist immediately.
Costa Health's doctors will always redirect you to emergency services if your symptoms suggest something that can't be safely managed through a video consultation. Patient safety comes before convenience.
Your Doctors
Licensed, experienced, English-speaking
Dr Melanie Lake
GP, Menopause Specialist
UK-trained GP with a dedicated focus on perimenopause, menopause, and HRT guidance. Dr Lake provides thorough, patient-centred care that considers the full clinical picture.
Dr Raquel Delgado
GP, Women's Health, Menopause Specialist
Bilingual GP practising in both English and Spanish. Dr Delgado also consults in person from Estepona, and regularly helps expats transition their home-country prescriptions to the Spanish system.
Common Questions
Electronic prescribing FAQs
Can I get a prescription online in Spain?
Are online prescriptions valid at Spanish pharmacies?
What medications can be prescribed online?
Do I need Spanish health insurance or residency?
How quickly can I get a prescription?
Can I get repeat prescriptions for ongoing medication?
Book a Prescription Consultation
Speak with a licensed, English-speaking doctor by video. If medication is appropriate, your electronic prescription will be ready for pharmacy collection the same day.
Available at Online consultations, Costa del Sol