How to find medication at a pharmacy in Vietnam when you don't know the local name?
Based on 1 discussion with 3 participants · Last activity: 28 days ago
TL;DR
Show the pharmacist the Vietnamese translation of the medication name using a translator app. For allergies, tablets work better than creams. Some drugs like nitroxoline may be sold under different brand names — search by active ingredient.
What the community said
Nitroxoline was not found in three pharmacies in Nha Trang — staff didn't recognize the name. Try searching by the active ingredient (INN) rather than the brand name.
28 days ago Nitroxoline — search by active ingredient
For allergy medication, show the pharmacist the word 'allergy' translated into Vietnamese — they will recommend suitable antihistamine tablets. Topical creams for allergies are generally ineffective here.
28 days ago Show 'allergy' in Vietnamese at the pharmacy
Travelers recommend buying certain medications in Vietnam to take home — they are cheaper and often effective. Ask locals or expat communities for specific recommendations.
28 days ago