Can you buy prescription medication in Istanbul pharmacies without a prescription?

Prescription medications in Turkey are tightly regulated. Pharmacies mark the prescription each time you buy, preventing you from purchasing more than the prescribed amount. Some prescriptions can be issued for extended periods, such as 2 years.

If you need a prescription drug, it's much easier to bring a sufficient supply from your home country than to find a doctor in Istanbul, get a local prescription, and then track down the medication.

You can try visiting multiple pharmacies — occasionally a pharmacist may help. However, in most cases you won't be able to buy a prescription drug without a valid prescription, as Turkish pharmacies enforce regulations strictly.