Living in China
Where to Buy Medicine in China as a Foreigner (2026 Guide)
By the 17Talk teaching team - certified Mandarin teachers, 8+ years of classroom experience, 3,500+ students in 40 countries
Last updated:
Quick answer
Walk into almost any street pharmacy and you can buy non-prescription medicine - the over-the-counter category - with no paperwork beyond paying. Prescription-only medicine is a different line: Chinese law requires a prescription from a licensed physician, so a prescription written in your home country will not get you through the counter, and you need to see a doctor here. The practical route is to register at a hospital outpatient department, see a doctor, and then fill the prescription either at the hospital pharmacy or at any retail pharmacy you choose - the rules explicitly let you do that. Over-the-counter medicines are split into two classes, and only the safer class may be sold outside pharmacies, which is why some convenience stores carry a small medicine shelf. If you bring your own medicine, the current rule for personal carriage of a small quantity is that it must stay within a reasonable amount for personal use.
One line decides everything: prescription or not
Chinese law sorts every medicine into one of two categories, and the category - not the pharmacy's mood - decides whether you can buy it over a counter. The rule is stated plainly in the 1999 classification measures that still govern this: prescription medicines may only be dispensed, bought and used against a prescription from a licensed physician or assistant physician, while over-the-counter medicines can be judged, bought and used by the consumer without one.
That single line explains most of what surprises visitors. Antibiotics that are handed out casually in some countries are prescription-only here. Strong painkillers are prescription-only. The pharmacist behind the counter is not being difficult; they are on the wrong side of a rule.
What you can buy without seeing a doctor
Over-the-counter medicines are divided into two classes by safety. Class A is sold in pharmacies. Class B, the safer class, may also be sold by other commercial businesses that have been approved by the provincial drug regulator, and those businesses must have trained staff on the shelf - which is why you will sometimes find a small medicine section in a convenience store or supermarket.
In practice the pharmacy shelf covers most everyday problems: painkillers and fever reducers, cold and flu remedies, allergy tablets, stomach and indigestion medicines, rehydration salts, antiseptic cream, and basic dressings. Consumers are entitled to choose over-the-counter medicines themselves, but the label is the instruction sheet - dosages in China are written for local packaging, so read it rather than assuming it matches the box you know from home.
How to get a prescription the same day
Hospitals are the front door to prescription medicine, and for simple problems this is a short process rather than a drama.
1. Register at the outpatient department. Take your passport; large hospitals have a registration desk or a machine, and staff can point you to the right department. 2. See the doctor and describe the problem. Bring a translation app, or write your symptoms down before you go. 3. Take the prescription to the pharmacy. The rules let you choose: fill it at the hospital pharmacy, or take it to any retail pharmacy you prefer - prescription flow between hospitals and pharmacies is explicitly encouraged.
Payment runs through the same QR apps as everything else in China, so having Alipay or WeChat Pay working makes the whole visit smoother. Expect a registration fee plus the consultation and the medicine itself.
Finding a pharmacy, and using one
Pharmacies are dense in cities and are usually marked with a green cross or the name of a chain. In addition to ordinary opening hours, cities have 24-hour pharmacies, and hospital emergency departments never close. Food-delivery apps also list pharmacies and will deliver in most cities, which is useful when you are ill in a hotel room and do not want to go out.
Two habits make the counter visit quick: have the name of the medicine written down (a photo of your home box works), and ask for the pharmacist rather than a shelf assistant if you need advice. Staff in big-city chains often have some English; outside them, a translation app plus the medicine name is usually enough.
If it is urgent
For a medical emergency, call 120 - the national ambulance number - or get to the nearest hospital emergency department, which is open around the clock. Larger cities also have international clinics with English-speaking staff, and travel insurance usually expects you to keep receipts and a diagnosis note for any claim.
Keep the number 120 saved, the same way you would keep an emergency number at home. It is the single most useful number on this page.
Bringing your own medicine into China
The revised Pharmaceutical Administration Law implementing regulations, in force since 15 May 2026, deal with this in one sentence: a person carrying or mailing a small quantity of medicine into China must keep it within a reasonable quantity for personal use and comply with the rules on importing personal items.
The practical reading: bring what you need for your trip, keep everything in its original packaging with the label intact, and carry the prescription or a doctor's note for anything regular. Controlled medicines - narcotics and psychotropic drugs - sit under stricter rules than ordinary medication, so check the current requirements before you fly rather than at the airport.
Where to go for what
A short map of the four situations that cover almost every case:
| Situation | Where to go | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Mild symptoms, no prescription needed | Street pharmacy, or an approved convenience-store medicine shelf | Nothing but payment. Ask for the pharmacist if unsure. |
| You need prescription medicine | Hospital outpatient department, then any pharmacy you choose | Passport for registration, a doctor's visit, then the prescription |
| It is the middle of the night | 24-hour pharmacy, hospital emergency department, or a delivery app | A phone that works, and a QR payment app |
| You brought your own medicine | Nothing to arrange - just declare if asked | Original packaging, a reasonable personal amount, prescription for regular medicine |
Common questions
Can I use a prescription from my home country?
The rule requires a prescription from a licensed physician, and the dispensing system here is built around Chinese hospital prescriptions. Expect to see a doctor in China rather than have an overseas prescription filled at a pharmacy counter.
Can I buy antibiotics without a doctor?
No. Antibiotics are prescription medicines in China, so they require a doctor's prescription - a pharmacy cannot sell them on request.
Are pharmacies open at night?
Cities have 24-hour pharmacies and hospital emergency departments are always open. Delivery apps list pharmacies and deliver in most cities.
How do I explain my symptoms?
Write them down or use a translation app, and bring the name or a photo of any medicine you already take. Big-city chain pharmacies and international clinics are more likely to have English-speaking staff.
Does insurance cover a pharmacy visit?
Your travel insurance, not the Chinese health system - visitors pay as they go. Keep the receipt and the diagnosis note for the claim.
What about controlled medicines like sleeping pills?
Narcotic and psychotropic medicines are controlled more strictly than ordinary medication. Check the current import requirements before travelling, and carry documentation for anything you must take.
Read next
- How to Use Alipay in China as a Foreigner (2026 Setup & Fees)
- How to Get a SIM Card in China as a Foreigner (2026 Guide)
Sources
- 《处方药与非处方药分类管理办法（试行）》(国家药品监督管理局令第10号, published 18 June 1999, in force 1 January 2000), State Council policy library (中国政府网) - Article 2: prescription medicines may only be dispensed, purchased and used against a prescription from a licensed physician or assistant physician, while over-the-counter medicines may be judged, purchased and used by consumers without one; Article 8: over-the-counter medicines are divided into Class A and Class B, and approved non-pharmacy commercial businesses may retail Class B; Article 11: consumers have the right to choose over-the-counter medicines themselves and must follow the label.
- 《中华人民共和国药品管理法实施条例》(State Council Decree No. 828, revised 31 December 2025, in force 15 May 2026), State Council policy library (中国政府网) - Article 48: a person carrying or mailing a small quantity of medicine into China must keep it within a reasonable quantity for personal use and comply with the rules on importing personal items; Article 52: medical institutions must provide prescriptions that meet health authority requirements, and patients may choose to buy the medicine from a retail pharmacy against that prescription.
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