Healthcare in Germany — Expat Guide

Prescription medications — bring a 3-month supply

European pharmacies do not stock Indian-brand medications and many Indian prescription drugs are unavailable by their generic name without a local doctor visit first. Bring at least 3 months of any ongoing prescription medication. Get a letter from your Indian doctor in English describing the condition and dosage — useful if you're stopped at customs or need to register with a GP quickly.

OTC medicines: buy European equivalents on arrival

Combiflam, Crocin, D-Cold — none of these brand names exist in European pharmacies. The active ingredients do: ibuprofen (Combiflam), paracetamol (Crocin), and antihistamine decongestant combinations for colds. European pharmacists are helpful — describe the symptom and they'll find the equivalent. Don't bring large quantities of OTC drugs as customs can flag them.

Dental and eye checkup — do it in India before you leave

Dental treatment in Europe is significantly more expensive than India and is often not covered (or only partially covered) by public health insurance. Get a full dental checkup and any pending work done before departure. Similarly, get an up-to-date spectacles prescription and bring spare glasses — frames in Europe cost 2–5x India prices without vision insurance.

Ayurvedic and homoeopathic products

Widely used Indian products — Chyawanprash, Ashwagandha supplements, specific Dabur or Himalaya formulations — are available in Indian grocery stores in major European cities but often at 3–4x the India price. Bring enough for 3–6 months if you use them regularly.

Medical records — bring originals and digital copies

Bring physical copies of any significant medical history: surgery records, allergy list, vaccination records, chronic condition documentation. Scan everything to a cloud drive before you leave. European GPs cannot access Indian hospital records and will treat you as a new patient from scratch — your records help them give you continuity of care.

Prescription medications — bring a 3-month supply and an English prescription letter

European pharmacies do not carry Philippine brand names (Biogesic, Neozep, Solmux). The active ingredients exist under European generic names — paracetamol (Biogesic), carbocisteine (Solmux), phenylephrine antihistamine combos (Neozep) — but you'll need a local GP visit to get a prescription for many of them. Bring a 3-month supply of any ongoing medication plus a letter from your Philippine doctor in English describing the diagnosis and dosage. Request this from your doctor on official clinic letterhead.

Get your PhilHealth clearance and certificate before departure

Download your PhilHealth Member Data Record (MDR) from the PhilHealth member portal and get a Certificate of Contributions. These documents are useful for proving contribution history if you later apply for PhilHealth Overseas Voluntary Membership (OVM), which costs PHP 2,400/year and maintains your eligibility for PhilHealth benefits during visits back home. Enroll in OVM before leaving if possible — you can do it at any PhilHealth branch or regional office.

Dental and eye work — do it in the Philippines

Dental treatment in Europe is significantly more expensive than in the Philippines and is often only partially covered by public health insurance. Complete any pending dental work, orthodontic adjustments, or restorations before departure. For vision: get an up-to-date spectacle prescription (optometrist refraction) and bring at least two pairs of frames — frames in Europe cost 3–6x Philippine prices without a vision insurance add-on. Contact lens brands available in the Philippines (like FreshLook or Acuvue) are available in Europe but at higher cost; bring a 6-month supply.

Vaccination records and the Philippine Yellow Card

Bring your International Certificate of Vaccination (yellow card) and any vaccination records from your barangay health center or private clinic. If you were vaccinated through government programs (DOH, Ligtas COVID), request a printed or QR-verified vaccination record from the DOH immunization portal before departure — European GPs and some employers ask for proof of specific vaccines (MMR, Hepatitis B, Varicella, flu).

Medical records — bring originals and scan everything

Bring physical copies of significant medical history: surgery records, discharge summaries, laboratory results for chronic conditions (diabetes, hypertension, thyroid), allergy documentation. Scan all documents and store in Google Drive or iCloud before you leave. European GPs cannot access Philippine hospital records and will start from scratch — your records prevent repeat tests and ensure continuity of care, especially for ongoing conditions.