Pharmacy & Medicine Guide

Finding a pharmacy

• ✓ Look for the green cross sign or the characters 药店 (yàodiàn) — they are on almost every major street
• ✓ Most open 8:00–22:00. Some are 24/7 in larger cities — search 24小时药店 on a map app
• ✓ Pharmacists wear white coats. Most do not speak English but are helpful — show them the Chinese name from this page
• ✓ Payment: Alipay, WeChat Pay, and cash all accepted

Major pharmacy chains

• ✓老百姓大药房 (Laobaixing) — "Common People's Pharmacy", nationwide, most likely to recognise Western medicine names
• ✓叮当快药 (Dingdang) — O2O pharmacy with fast delivery, strong presence in Shanghai, Beijing, and major cities
• ✓益丰药房 (Yifeng) — strong in central and eastern cities
• ✓海王星辰 (Neptune) — common in Shanghai, Shenzhen, and other coastal cities

Available OTC (no prescription needed)

• ✓ Painkillers, fever reducers, cold medicine, cough syrup, antihistamines, stomach medicine, anti-diarrhoeals
• ✓ Topical creams, antiseptics, bandages, eye drops, vitamins, melatonin
• ✓ Most standard Western OTC equivalents are available without a prescription

Prescription required

• ✗ Antibiotics — officially prescription-only. Some pharmacies still sell them OTC, but do not self-medicate. Antibiotic resistance is a real concern in China
• ✗ Strong painkillers (codeine, tramadol) — strictly prescription-only
• ✗ Sleeping pills (zolpidem / Ambien) — controlled, prescription required
• ✗ Anxiety / depression medication — requires a doctor's prescription
• ✗ Insulin — available at pharmacies, some may ask for a prescription

OTC drugs — Meituan (美团买药)

• 1Download Meituan (美团) from your app store. The app is in Chinese — use the screenshots below as a guide
• 2 Tap 买药 (Buy Medicine) on the home screen, or the green cross pill icon. This opens the pharmacy section
• 3 Search for your medicine using the Chinese name from the table above. You can also search by symptom — e.g. 感冒 (cold), 发烧 (fever), 腹泻 (diarrhoea)
• 4 Select a nearby pharmacy. Delivery times are shown — typically 30–60 minutes, often faster during the day
• 5 Tap 立即购买 (Buy Now). Enter your delivery address in Chinese (use your hotel address, or copy from a booking confirmation). Pay via Alipay or WeChat Pay (linked to your foreign card)

Prescription drugs — Meituan / Ele.me

Prescription drugs involve extra steps. You will complete a health questionnaire and receive a brief online consultation before a digital prescription is issued.

• 1Search for the prescription medicine in Meituan or Ele.me (饿了么). It will show as "RX" (处方药)
• 2 Tap to order. The app will redirect you to a health questionnaire (健康信息). You need to fill in:
• — Identity: As of 2026, passports are now accepted for identity verification on Meituan and Ele.me (previously only Chinese ID cards were supported). Enter your passport number exactly as it appears on the ID page
• — Personal info: Full name (matching passport), date of birth, gender
• — Health info: Describe your symptoms, how long you have had them, any allergies (青霉素过敏 = penicillin allergy is the most important one to note), and current medications you are taking
• — Medical history: You may be asked about liver/kidney conditions, pregnancy status, and chronic illnesses — use a translation app to answer accurately
• 3Online consultation: A licensed pharmacist or doctor will review your answers. This usually takes 2–10 minutes. They may send follow-up questions via in-app chat (in Chinese) — use a translation app to reply
• 4Digital prescription: Once approved, you receive an electronic prescription. The order then proceeds to payment
• 5Payment & delivery: Pay via Alipay or WeChat Pay. Delivery is typically 30–60 minutes. Some pharmacies offer 24/7 delivery in major cities

Ele.me (饿了么) — identical process

• ✓ Open Ele.me → tap 买药 (Buy Medicine) or the health/medicine category
• ✓ Same search, questionnaire, and consultation flow as Meituan. Both platforms pull from the same network of local pharmacies
• ✓ Tip: Compare prices between Meituan and Ele.me — they sometimes differ for the same pharmacy

JD Health (京东健康) — non-urgent purchases

• ✓ Larger selection, next-day or same-day delivery. Good for vitamins, supplements, and chronic medication refills
• ✓ Prescription drugs: Upload a photo of your prescription or complete the online consultation. Supports foreign passports
• ✓ Access via the JD (京东) app → 京东健康, or use the WeChat mini-program "京东健康"

Before you go

• ✓ Bring a small supply of your regular medications from home — enough for the first 3–5 days
• ✓ Keep prescription meds in original packaging with a doctor's note. Customs may check
• ✓ Screenshot the Chinese medicine names from this page before you travel — you will not have data on arrival
• ✓ Write down any allergies in Chinese characters: "我对XX过敏" (Wǒ duì XX guòmǐn)

At the pharmacy

• ✓ Show the Chinese name on your phone. Pharmacists usually know their stock and can suggest alternatives
• ✓ Check expiry dates (有效期) — Chinese date format is YYYY-MM-DD
• ✓ Use a translation app to read dosage instructions on the package
• ✓ Pharmacies near hospitals tend to be cheaper and better stocked

Serious symptoms — go to a hospital

• ✗ Do not self-medicate for: persistent high fever (over 39°C), severe abdominal pain, chest pain, difficulty breathing, or head injuries
• ✗ Hospital emergency rooms accept foreign passports. Bring cash or a card for the deposit (¥500–2000, refundable)
• ✗ International hospitals with English-speaking staff exist in major cities — see our Hospital Guide