Voices spoke to Didim chemist Tolga Oktaygil about what happens behind the scenes at a pharmacy in Türkiye. Interview by Laura Bower
I need medicine! What are the main differences between the UK and Türkiye when it comes to getting cured?
The main difference is that you can’t buy any medicine, not even paracetamol, anywhere other than a pharmacy in Türkiye. Anything classed as a medicine by the Turkish Health Department can only be dispensed by a chemist.
But I’m used to getting my hay fever meds at the same time as my cat food. What about vitamins and health supplements?
You can buy those at a supermarket. You can also get them at your local chemist if they stock them. In fact, if you go to a chemist to ask advice, they can show you an alternative remedy if that’s what you’re looking for. That service has only been available for about the last five years.
Can the chemist give me advice on standard meds as well?
Yes, of course. Your chemist can tell you what medicines are suitable for what conditions, how they should be used, what medicines shouldn’t be used together, and recommend alternative brands.
How do I know they’re giving me good advice?
To open a pharmacy in Türkiye you have to complete high school. Study to be a dispensing chemist for five years at university, followed by a placement at a pharmacy. Then you’ve earned the right to open a pharmacy yourself.
What about the staff at a pharmacy? Are they all qualified chemists?
A new law brought in about five years ago is that all pharmacy staff need a certificate showing a certain level of experience as a dispensing chemist. You can earn that by studying the appropriate subject for two years at university or applying to the Pharmacists’ Association. It’s a newish law but eventually it will apply to everyone working behind the counter in a pharmacy.
I’ve noticed at the doctor’s office and even A&E in Türkiye people seem to come in for really trivial illnesses. Why is that?
In Türkiye all medicines should be prescribed by a doctor, even paracetamol. And of course this being Türkiye, those rules are set in stone. No pharmacy ever dispenses anything without a doctor’s prescription.
Is there any other reason for a doctor’s visit to get medicine?
If you have SGK health insurance, then yes. SGK will co-pay part of the cost of most medicines prescribed by a doctor. The discount is the same whether you’re Turkish, British or Afghani, as long as you have SGK and the pharmacy you go to has a contract with SGK. We sign a new contract with SGK each year. They come to us and say, “Your sale price for this medicine will be 100 lira and we’ll take 80 lira of that. Take it or leave it.” There’s only one SGK so we take it. The discount changes depending on the medicine, and there are some medicines which aren’t covered, but it applies to all SGK patients, no matter whether they got their prescription from a state doctor or a private one.
Once I’ve got my prescription, do I have to use it in a certain time?
If it was prescribed by an SGK or state doctor then yes, you need to get it filled in 4 working days. If it’s written by a private doctor then at your leisure. Though why would you want to wait?
What happens if I come with my prescription and you don’t have the prescribed medicine in stock?
First I check the depot: if I can order it in. I might offer you the option to wait for it to be delivered. Or I’ll suggest a bioequivalent, that’s a medicine with identical ingredients but made by a different company. And if there’s nothing identical available I can suggest something with a different active ingredient that’s licensed for the same condition. You can get your doctor to prescribe that for you instead. Sometimes medicines get taken off the shelves or the packet sizes change, and if the doctor doesn’t know that they might prescribe an unavailable medicine. That’s where I can help.
What about at the weekend or late at night when I need medicine. Will you be open?
Maybe not my pharmacy specifically, it depends who’s on the out-of-hours shift, but there will definitely be at least one pharmacy open at any hour of the day or night. In Didim at the moment there are 3 pharmacies available out-of-hours. This goes down to 2 in winter.
Do you deliver?
No, pharmacies aren’t allowed to deliver medication. If you’re that sick you’ll have someone looking after you. They can come and get your prescription filled. Or SGK provides home care services for the truly bedbound, in which case a doctor will come to your home, diagnose and prescribe for you. The home care service will bring your prescribed medication to you.
And if I’ve lost my prescription, what do I do?
If it’s an electronic prescription you’ll have received a text message with your prescription code, I can look that up on my system and see what you’ve been prescribed. If it was on paper though, bad luck, you need to get a new one.
What about the availability of Viagra or Ozempic?
It’s amazing how few people need Viagra for themselves, and yet how many have a friend who could use a little help. Tell your friend to go to their doctor and get a prescription, Viagra is easily available in Türkiye and most chemists stock it.
Ozempic is also available. Try an internal medicine doctor for the new GLP-1 weight loss drugs and then come and see me.
Anything else you’d like to say to British people reading this?
Compared to Turkish people, British people tend to know exactly what they’re looking for when they come to the pharmacy. Not just brands, they know the active ingredient. They’re not put off if they’re offered an alternative.
Thank you, Tolga
The pleasure was all mine.