The answer to this question is the same as to most “in france...” questions. It depends.
In particular it depends on the medication and the pharmacist. In some cases the medication may not require a prescription in france, in other cases, the pharmacist may just do you a favor.

Bon Courage

 

I tried that a few years ago and had mixed results. I finally was able to do it in Paris, but several pharmacies in smaller cities/towns refused.

 

...If I have a written prescription from a doctor here in the US, can a French pharmacist fill that prescription?...

Unhappily, I cannot see how it would be within the law for a French pharmacist to fill a prescription written by a US doctor. Can you envision a US pharmacist filling an ordinance written in France?

However, getting your prescriptions rewritten is easy and quick. Simply bring your existing medication bottles (with labels on them) to your doctor upon arrival and s/he will write you new ordinances for the same (or similar medications). Ask your neighbors which doctor they recommend. It’s a great way to meet your neighbors and get yourself set up with a French doctor, all at the same time.

Best of luck.

Ray

 

Unhappily, I cannot see how it would be within the law for a French pharmacist to fill a prescription written by a US doctor....

I cannot comment on what is or is not legal for a french pharmacist to do. But, I can say with certainty that they have filled a prescription for me that was written in the US. They scanned it into their computer and there it rests. I can get refills as needed.

Slightly off topic from the original question. But, for those who may not know, french pharmacies are quite different from their US counterparts. The most important factor is that the pharmacy must be owned by a pharmacist and each pharmacist may only own one pharmacy. So, there are no chains. Yes, there are drug store chains (para-pharmacies) but, they don't sell drugs.

Note also drugs are also usually delivered pre-packaged, often in one week or one month supplies. In many cases the packaging includes the day of the week printed next to each pill for easy dosage tracking. See the photo below (chosen to help relieve the stress of this topic
You may run into one minor issue: the one-month package is only 4 weeks worth.

Take a look at: this article on Complete France
and, this more detailed article.

 

Just to compare, in some states in the US, a pharmacist may only fill a prescription from a doctor from the same state - though there may be some leeway in border areas.

But as RayRay says, it's generally pretty easy to get a French doctor to write you a prescription for something standard. The one "catch" is that there are some differences in what is commonly prescribed for some ailments. If the medication is available in France, most doctors will write you a short term scrip (i.e. for a month or so) to tide you over until you can be evaluated in France and possibly switched over to whatever medication the French prefer to use.
Cheers,
Bev

 

I can get refills as needed.

Normally, only for 3 months, though. There may be some exceptions, but it's usually the case that the pharmacies will only distribute one month's worth of medication at a time (unless the stuff is packaged in 3-month lots) and that you then have to get a doctor to renew the scrip.

For sécu purposes, there is a co-pay of 0,50 € for each month's scrip. If you get a 3-month box of meds, you're generally charged 1,50€ to cover the 3 months' supply.
Cheers,
Bev

 

Normally, only for 3 months, though. There may be some exceptions, but it's usually the case that the pharmacies will only distribute one month's worth of medication at a time (unless the stuff is packaged in 3-month lots) and that you then have to get a doctor to renew the scrip....

It may just be our local pharmacy (I.e. this is likely not the general case), but it's been two years now and they have let me change dosage as desired, and also get a two month supply (extended travel).

Now, having said all this. My advice for ntoolan would be to get as large a supply of your prescriptions as you can just before you leave so as to give you some time to find out what you can or need to do here in france.

 

One more tangential comment. As I noted earlier in this thread, new and potential expats have a lot of "In france does..." questions. I know I did. Having lived in a few other countries, those questions seemed reasonable. I just needed to understand the local norms, and that was it. Of course there were local adjustments, what works in Hamburg may not (probably won't) work in Munich, etc. But, once you got the locale right, there was always an answer.

This may be the official case in france as well. But, as one quickly learns, or suffers from not learning, it is much more complicated. Here (in france) what is possible depends on the rules and norms, as in other countries, but it also depends heavily on the relationship between the participants. I don't just mean like long term friends, sometimes it is just taking 30 seconds to introduce yourself and ask if the pharmacist, baker, mechanic, etc. has a moment to help you.

Americans, in particular, tend to cut straight to the point, "Hi I need x can you get it for me." With that approach you are likely, at best to get whatever the rules allow. But, just taking that short moment to actually make personal contact can turn a "Dséolé non" Into a "c'est possible, je dois regarder."

Thus, what is allowed and what is possible are often quite different.

Final bit of advice, always keep in mind, france is not just like "home" but with better food. It is really quite different here. And if that weren't enough, "here" is not fixed: Provence ≠ Brittany ≠ Alsace ≠ the Jura, etc. all have local variations. So, it is really important, when you first arrive and want to jump right in, to take the time to just observe.

 

Very good point and well made!

One of my techniques is to ask for their advice, even if I know what I want. This changes the relationship from "servant, do this" to "wise and experienced counsellor, I need something from your years of experience".

DejW

 

I suspect that any French pharmacist found to be providing prescription drugs on a long term basis and agreeing to change the dose as the customer requests would be in trouble. For example, valium requires new prescriptions from time to time and a pharmacist should not be supplying it over a period of 2 years on the basis of a prescription written 2 years ago.

 

For valium, opiates, drugs with possibly severe side-effects, I'd agree. However, there are a lot of drugs for chronic conditions, like blood pressure, and the whole raft of drugs that are available over-the-counter in the US at reduced potency, that might be within the scope of a pharmacist's discretion.

Also, there is probably a difference between paying privately and using the security social. Likely less oversight.

 

Actually, I find it's almost the other way around. It's far more likely (in my experience, anyhow) that it's the pharmacist who will caution you about a scrip being too old, or that something you've just been prescribed may conflict with what you have been taking on a regular basis.

It's true that there may be some difference if you're on sécu rather than paying for meds yourself (most pharmacies like to put people on the third party payment plan - so that they settle the bill directly with sécu and the mutuelles) - but I've found that the pharmacists are, in general, much more knowledgeable about the medications they stock and disburse than the doctors are.

I know when I first got medication for blood pressure, I vaguely remembered reading something about some such medications not being compatible with grapefruit (impaired the absorption of the drug or some such thing). Asked the doctor and she really didn't have a clue. Asked the pharmacist and he checked before saying that no, this medication didn't have any such issue. As it turns out, I think it was anti-cholesterol drugs that sometimes didn't work well with grapefruit juice or fruit.

It is well worth cultivating a good working relationship with your local pharmacist/pharmacy. I even get freebie tartric acid (works in recipes calling for cream of tartar) from the pharmacy since they have it in stock and a little lasts a LONG time in my kitchen.
Cheers,
Bev

 

As it turns out, I think it was anti-cholesterol drugs that sometimes didn't work well with grapefruit juice or fruit.

That's right, it's the class of drugs known as statins that are to some extent negated by grapefruit juice.

 

Thanks for all the information.

I am planning to bring at least several months supply of my meds. I plan to contact my insurance here and ask for a 'vacation waiver' which allows me to refill beyond the normal 3 month max.

I do agree that so much depends on relationships, especially in France. My first months I plan to make all the right relationships, not with the end of 'what can you do for me' but to create my local support system of pharmacist, vet for the cats, a doctor for me, and my favorite waiter at the local café. Oh and the local grocer with fresh foods. And patisserie and boulangerie. Luckily I already have a good banker.

The essentials in life!

 

... My first months I plan to make all the right relationships, not with the end of 'what can you do for me' but to create my local support system of pharmacist, vet for the cats, a doctor for me, and my favorite waiter at the local café. Oh and the local grocer with fresh foods. And patisserie and boulangerie. Luckily I already have a good banker...

All of that is good, those long term relationships certainly count. At the same time, it is those unforeseen interactions where you suddenly find yourself needing help, where it is even more important to not just burst out with your need, but stop, see the person you are talking to and start a conversation that, as DejW notes, makes it clear you see the person as an individual. This is a daily skill. It starts with the requisite Bonjour (madame or monsieur) EVEN if you don't see anyone in the shop, and ends with the equally requisite Bon Journée on departing.

 

Yes I always give that advice to everyone traveling to France. I have visited many time and also lived in a Francophone country in Africa for 5 years. Everyone I passed in the hall at work was greeted with Bonjour, ca va? Et la famille? I personally enjoy living like that - friendly, courteous, and civil. Something I definitely miss here in the USA. But I do live in the south and some of that still remains..….

 

There’s a lovely book entitled The Bonjour Effect: The Secret Codes of French Conversation Revealed written by Julie Barlow and Jean-Benoit Nadeau, a Canadian couple from Quebec who are academics. They write lovingly, well, and humorously about everyday conversation and the reasons why one will find one’s life easier if one takes the time to remember a few things.

Best of luck.

Ray

 

......even to the extent that I was in a male public toilet recently, fairly full. A man entered and said "bonjour Messieurs"...and everybody replied "bonjour Monsieur". I know some public toilets in London where you might get arrested for saying that!

DejW

 

Two years ago I was travelling in France with my sister. She ran out of her asthma inhaler and had failed to bring a written prescription, even though I’d warned her in advance. We were in a very small town outside of Cognac but it had a pharmacy. I entered with a proper “Bonjour, monsieur” and explained, in passable French, that we had a problem and hoped he could help us. He took the empty inhaler, went into the back room and returned to say he couldn’t refill it without a prescription. I said I understood, explained the circumstances, let him know her asthma was really quite severe and asked again if there was anything he could do to help. It then became possible to get a refill. Not only that, but it was so inexpensive (compared to US prices) that she bought two.

The other customers in the pharmacy watched the entire exchange and in the end, seeing the pharmacist go the distance to help strangers in need, gave a short burst of applause. Everyone was smiling. I said thank you and good bye to each of them, as well as the pharmacist.

So yes: be polite, respect the professional for their knowledge and status in the situation, and let them help you. It goes a long way towards a smooth transaction (which is, on occasion, possible in France).