Medicine in Denmark
The Danish Medicines Agency keeps watch over medicines and medical devices on the Danish market and takes necessary action to safeguard the public.
The website of the Danish Medicines Agency provides a wealth of information about medicines, warnings, reimbursement of medicine costs, medicine prices, side effects and much more. The sections below offer you direct access to relevant topics on the website.
Buying medicine
In Denmark you can buy medicine at pharmacies which have the exclusive right to sell prescription medicine and certain over-the-counter products. If you become ill and require treatment with a prescription medicine, you need to visit a doctor who can write out a prescription for a suitable medicine. You can also buy some over-the-counter medicines at general sales outlets such as supermarkets, kiosks and 'Matas' stores.
Read more about over-the-counter medicines.
When you buy medicine in Denmark, the package leaflet is in Danish, so if you are unsure about a particular medicine, please seek advice from a doctor or pharmacist. By entering the name of a medical product, you can also find package leaflets in English.
Reimbursement of medicine costs
Anyone who is a legal resident of Denmark and has a CPR number has the right to reimbursement of medicine costs on the same terms as a Danish citizen. When you buy medicine, you get a refund when the amount of money you spend on medicine within a year exceeds a certain limit. Once the limit is exceeded, the refund is deducted automatically the next time you go to the pharmacy to buy a medicine that is eligible for reimbursement. However, not all medicines entitle you to a refund. You should also be aware that if there is more than one medical product with the same effect, the pharmacist is obliged to offer you the cheapest medicine, unless the prescribing doctor has written a particular product on the prescription.
Read more about reimbursement of medicines.
Report side effects to the Danish Medicines Agency
You should always consult a doctor if you experience side effects so that he or she can assess if your medication needs to be changed, but you can also ask a pharmacist for advice.
Read more about side effects.
Side effects can also be reported directly to the Danish Medicines Agency using an online form (available in Danish only).