I know! a bit embarrassing!
We just moved here from Boston 2 weeks ago. My wife needs to get her contraceptive pills somewhere, the problem is where to start. Can you just go to the pharmacy and ask? Do you need a prescription? If so, how do you get a doctor? Will it take months to get one? Like in the US.
We are not going to pay for insurance until next month and I hear that no matter what, that doesnt make a difference. I wouldnt mind paying cash

So, if any of you have some information that will be great!
Take care,

My girlfriend has to have a prescription to buy them in Switzerland. And then they won't even give her a year's worth, they give her 2-3 months worth.

My colleague from France has just told me that it is the same in France. But, you can walk into a pharmacy with the old package, say you're on holiday and get a suitable substitute without prescription.

Registering at at GP here is not complicated here is a list of English doctors in Zurich.

MAR, your wife should go to a pharmacy where English is likely to be spoken, take your old prescription or your current package, explain your plight and ask for one month's supply to tide you over until you can get a prescription from a doctor here. My experience is they are very flexible with this sort of thing...

I think pretty much all oral contraceptives are prescription-only here. As soon as you find a doctor here and he/she gives you a prescription, you can get it filled at the pharmacy. Not sure what you mean with the months-long wait in the US...however, birth control isn't covered by most basic Swiss health insurance plans and you will probably have to pay for it yourself.

Ummm, well - that would probably be the most logical place to start with an enquiry of this nature. I don't really see any reason why they would refuse to honour a prescription written in the US, especially for something as basic as the pill. If the prescription isn't expired, then why not just present it to them ask. After all, what do you have to lose by trying? You can find a pharmacy pretty much everywhere, so it's not like it would be a difficult thing to do.

As for doctors, etc. please use the search function to locate the relevant threads of this - we've discussed doctors at great length before.

Hi!
The pharmacist will sell you a month's supply, especially if you know what brand you were on previously, without a prescription, as someone said, to tide you over. With the prescription, you can get up to six months supply (much unlike the god's country, where they only give you a month at a time!). Insurance doesn't cover and I don't know if it applies to all brands but at least some are significantly cheaper than in america.
Good luck
l.

FWIW when my GF was over here from kyrgyzstan, she needed a new supply. I booked her an appointment with my family doc. The consultation cost about Fr.-20 and a three month supply of OC cost Fr.- 48

On another note. About two years ago my friend was ready to fly back to Kyrgyzstan but there was major civil unrest going on over there and all shops, banks and chemists were shut down. She received an SMS from her cousin who is diabetic asking if she could bring some insulin over with her as he couldn't get his supply. I made a note of the type and quantity he required and took it to the Sunstore chemist in my village not really holding out much hope of him getting it. After listening to the story, the chemist gave me a supply!!

I've since found the Sunstore chain to be very helpful

HTH

You should know that not all brands of American oral contraceptives are available in Switzerland (which has something to do with Switzerland having different opinions about the mix of active ingredients available in some of the American brands). A Swiss doctor should be able to give you a prescription and also to suggest a close Swiss equivalent (e.g. with something that has a similar ratio of estrogen & progesterone to what your wife was taking and happy with in the US) if your wife's American brand isn't available.

So I need to obtain a new prescription for birth control and in the US you can go to a general doctor or internal medicine doctor. Is this the same in Switzerland or do I need to see a gynaecologist? I have found a list of doctors from the site, thank you, I just need to know which one to make an appointment with!

Thank you.

You'll need to go to a 'Frauenarzt'. I went to my GP when I got here and he turned very red and said 'I don't deal with that' and gave me the name of someone to go to!

If it's urgent and you know what the pill is called in Switzerland, the pharmacy will usually give you a one-month packet. However, it is recommended to do a yearly check-up and on that occasion you should ask your gynaecologist for a year's prescription.
The check-up is covered by insurance, the pill, however, is not.

Once again, ladies only area anyone? ;-)

Such modesty for a doctor.

My (ex) wife just went to our family GP and was prescribed one right there and then.

I took my fiancé there a couple of months ago and she was also prescribed a three month supply. They cost Fr 48 in the pharmacy.

Just one more question:

Will a doctor give you a prescription rightaway or do you have to undergo an examination?

You can go to the pharmacy in the main station, they almost always have a DR there who will help you out and there is always a pharmacist who speaks english, they are very helpful, not sure how much the DR will charge....... but it will be less then the cost of a baby.

There's no rule as such but the Doctor should obviously be satisfied that what he is prescribing is safe for the patient.

Although not meaning to exclude the gents on this site - all advice welcome!

I'll be moving over to Switzerland in 2 months and I'm not sure what the deal is with regular prescriptions (ie. contraceptive pill?) in terms of payments (these things are free in England) and whether insurance can be obtained to cover it - indeed, if its even worth it or if the stuff doesn't cost that much anyway? I'm not talking emergency prescriptions....more for a long term solution.

Thanks!

All birthcontroll is on the "black list" I believe, i.e. not paid by the insurance. But almost all other prescription drugs are paid by the insurance minus a 10 % deduction that you have to pay yourself.

There is another thread on this very topic on the forum

Point your mouse at: http://www.englishforum.ch/family-ma...ive-pills.html

Pills cost about Fr48 for a three month supply.

Hope this helps...

Contraceptive pills are not covered, and your prescriptions can vary depending on the health insurance company and their packages, ask before you sign if you need lots of prescriptions.

Yup the previous posters are right they are not covered by the insurance,my daughter has got a special card from the paharmacy for her contraceptive pills,sort of buy 10pcks. get the eleventh for free,which is if not much, at least something.

Hey,

As far as costs are concerned. . . I pay 69.95 CHF for a three month pack. I believe that is fairly standard. Hope that helps.

Darkphoenix