EXPATS and tourists have been talking to Voices Newspaper about the recent tightening of obtaining drugs that have now gone prescription-only when they were previously available freely.

A few readers observed that some products were now only available on prescription firstly via a doctor.

It appears have spoken to a few professionals that pharmacies could only give antibiotics or antidepressants and some other things with prescription, but as checks were low, they would sell them on.

But the İlçe sağlık Müdürlüğü – the association which inspects all pharmacies – have tightened up considerably on checks and balances of chemists’ stock.

Penalties of 700TL can be levied on missing prescription-only stock, such as antibiotics.

You can still get a prescription from health officials at the Sağlık Ocağı (the small healthcentres locally) which are usually free – or pay a private doctor for consultation and prescription if one is needed.