Transferring Your Medications from the US

Plan this before you fly

Running out of a critical medication in your first weeks abroad is a preventable emergency that happens a lot. Treat the medication transition with the same care as the visa — start three months before the move, not three weeks.

Before you fly

Three things from your US prescriber:

• A 90-day supply of every regular medication (your insurance will usually allow this for documented international travel)
• A written summary listing every medication by INN (international non-proprietary name), dose, frequency and indication
• For controlled substances (ADHD meds, opioids, benzos): the original prescription with provider DEA number

Check Portuguese availability ahead

Cross-reference each medication on Infarmed's database (infomed.infarmed.pt) before you fly to know whether your specific INN is available in Portugal. About 95% of common medications are; the remaining 5% may need a local equivalent or special-import authorisation.

On arrival

Start the transfer in the first 30 days:

• Get your Utente number at the local Centro de Saúde
• Book a Portuguese GP (private if SNS is slow) and bring the medication summary
• GP writes Portuguese e-prescriptions matching the INNs
• Pick up at any pharmacy with your Utente number for SNS pricing

Controlled substances

ADHD meds (Adderall, Vyvanse, Ritalin), benzodiazepines, opioids and most sleep meds are tightly controlled.

• These need a specialist (psychiatrist, neurologist or pain specialist), not a GP — book ahead
• Adderall is not licensed in Portugal; the local equivalent is methylphenidate (Ritalin/Concerta) or lisdexamfetamine (Elvanse)
• Long-acting benzos and short-acting opioids require an in-person consultation; no remote prescriptions
• Carry the US prescription print-out for the first 90 days — customs and pharmacy may both ask

When your medication is not licensed in Portugal

A small number of US medications are not approved in the EU. Two routes:

• Local equivalent: your specialist prescribes a different molecule with the same effect (most common)
• Authorização de Utilização Especial (AUE): your specialist files a request to Infarmed for special import; takes 2–6 weeks; pharmacy then orders from abroad

Cost shock — usually downward

Most US chronic-disease medications cost 50–90% less in Portugal, even before SNS reimbursement. A monthly biologic that ran €1,800 in the US is often €200–€400 here; statins, SSRIs, blood-pressure meds are usually under €15/month with reimbursement.