Question
Can I buy ARVs from a pharmacy without a prescription?
5 September 2021. Related: Access to treatment, All topics, Southern Africa.
I am away a lot for work and find it hard to get to the clinic. Can I buy ARVs from the pharmacy? I live in South Africa.
Answer
Thanks for getting in touch and for letting us post your question online.
All countries are supposed to need a prescription to buy HIV drugs. This includes In South Africa.
In some countries you might be able to buy some meds over the counter without a prescription (even if it is not legal). If you can do this, please make sure that you buy exactly the same meds that you usually take.
If you’re having access issues, please talk to your doctor.
Explain your situation, ask to have a few months of meds, even up to six months. This is now common in many countries. Often this is because of COVID.
Things have changed now in many countries, including South Africa.
Instead of being given a month at a time it is more common to get med for 2-6 months.
Hi Nomsa, thank you for writing and I am sorry your son is having this trouble – he is lucky to have you helping him. We gets lots of messages about treatment in South Africa when travelling to different districts sometimes makes it complicated to get treatment. Every one in South Africa has a right to receive HIV meds though, so please go back to the clinic and ask for the person in charge.
It is very common for people to sometimes be disconnected from care. Or for their medical notes to go missing. Your son could say he didn’t access care in Eastern Cape. Or he could just ask to register as a new patient. Or he could go to a different clinic and register as a new patient as if for the first time. This is not ideal, but finding a way to get ART is important – and he could tell his doctor the history later,
If your son has not taken treatment for two years it is really important that he is seen by a clinic now so that he can start meds again.
My Son was taking ARV medication until he was transferred to Eastern Cape for work, now his back to Mpumalanga Whiteriver, he went there to ask for medication the said they want the File from Eastern Cape, it’s been two years since his not taking medication I’m worried what must he do?
Hello Nomazulu and thanks for getting in touch.
I am very sorry to hear you were unable to get medication.
We don’t have much information, as we are based in the UK, but as far as we know all people should be able to get ARVs in government clinics.
Please contact the head of the clinic to explain what is happening.
You could also email GroundUp in confidence to discuss this as they might be able to help:
info@groundup.org.za
Please help I’m need of ARV where can I get it
Hi Samson, I am sorry but i-Base is based in the UK and you don’t say which country you are living in. Please contact any HIV clinic in your country to ask about this – mneds are available free in the UK and South Africa but not in all countries.
Hi im have hiv can but I’m foreigner where alse can get arvs pls help
Hello Nleya and thanks for getting in touch.
I am very sorry to hear about the difficult situation you are in.
Please try to contact these community organisations and see if they can help:
Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) http://www.tac.org.za
CHANGE: https://pepfarwatch.org/pepfar-funding-freeze/
Please stay strong.
Currently the clinics in South Africa are giving medication to all people living with HIV.
Also try contacting your clinic by phone and e-mail and see what options are there to help you.
Due to Dudula operation there is a denial of excess to foreign nationals at local clinics. Where else can they buy ARVS?
Hi Hileni, can I ask why you need to do this. HIV meds should be available in most countries from your HIV clinic. These meds need a prescription in every country too. Please contact a local HIV clinic to talk about options.
Good evening I’m Hileni – where can i buy HIV medicine without a doctor precription?