Question
I am stuck in Spain, how can I access more medication?
19 April 2010. Related: Access to treatment, All topics, Travel.
Urgent question. I am on holiday in Gran Canaria and cannot return to the UK because of the volcanic ash cloud coming from Iceland. I am due to run out of my medication (Atripla) today. I went to the hospital to try and get some more and the doctor went off his head saying I could not get any and I was practically chased from the hospital. I am really concerned as I do not know when I can get home.
I know you are busy but I would appreciate some information from you.
Answer
Thank you for your question.
Sorry to hear you are stuck and that the hospital was so unhelpful. In the UK the hospitals have issued a statement to say they will provide emergency prescriptions for HIV medications at cost price to any visitors unable to leave the UK. In Spain something similar to this should also be happening.
i-Base have a partner organisation called gTt (Grupo de Trabajo sobre Tratamientos del VIH), working in Spain. They are also a HIV-positive peer-led advocacy group. They are based in Barcelona but if you are able to call them they might be able to help you access HIV medication in Spain.
Do you have travel insurance which covers HIV? Did you have a E111 signed before you traveled? If you have either of those things then you should be able to go into any hospital and ask for a private prescription. You will need to pay for it and then claim it back on your insurance when you return to the UK.
If you call your HIV doctor in the UK, they may be able to fax the hospital a prescription for you to fill at a hospital pharmacy. They may also know someone in Spain or have colleagues there who are more willing to help.
If there is anything else we can do to help please feel free to contact us again. Good luck.
Hi David, unforuntately as i-base is a UK based charity we have no further information than what has been mentioned in the previous posts on this question.
Warm greetings. I’m a similar situation on d art drugs and currently working with WFP n with Cigna international health care. Any help appreciated on how I could access the drugs
Hi Thulani,
I’m really sorry to hear this. But have you tried Charlotte’s suggestion. You could try calling gTt, Grupo de Trabajo sobre Tratamientos del VIH.
The contact number on this link in Barcelona is: Telf.: +34 932 080 845.
from South Africa I’m working here at Spain at side of Europe at Fuerteventura I did bring my pills I’m HIV but now I finish all my pills and I ask my doctor to give me transfer paper when my pills gone so that I can go to the clinic here Spain I don’t get helped and now I’m out of my pills they send me up and down. One thing I wanted is ur help I’m out of treatment now almost a 2 weeks now.
Treatment is provided exclusively through the pharmaceutical services in
hospitals. Care is provided by large hospitals through the specific service
called “Unidad de enfermedades infecciosas” (infectious diseases unit); in
smaller hospitals by the internal medicine service.
Access to Spanish healthcare system is universal and free of charge for all
citizens. Foreigners are also entitled to healthcare under the same
conditions as any other citizen. All residents must be registered in the
City council (municipality) irrespective of their migratory status in the
country. This is a quick and easy process which can be done at no cost.
In the following situations, access to services is possible without
presenting the health care card:
* Emergency situations
* Patients under age
* Pregnant women
Additional information can be found at this link.
Hi,
Hope you can help myself and my partner are planning on moving to Spain but I’m getting different advise on where I stand with my HIV medication can I get this there as I do in the uk with it been an E.U country when I last spook to my consultant he said this shouldn’t be an issues but now says he’s not sure I really need a straight answer as this a huge factor in been able to move