What if I run out of my medication in Morocco?

Running low on medication abroad is a common worry and usually has a straightforward fix, because Moroccan pharmacies are genuinely good — well stocked, well staffed, and on most city streets. The key is knowing what to ask for. Brand names differ from country to country, so before you travel, write down the generic (chemical) name and the dose of anything you take — for example 'metformin 500mg' rather than just the brand on your box. A pharmacist can match that to a local equivalent far more easily than a foreign brand name.

For many everyday medicines — blood-pressure tablets, common antibiotics, asthma inhalers, allergy medication, contraceptives — a pharmacist can often help directly, and where a prescription is needed, a private clinic doctor can write one the same day after a short, affordable consultation. Bring your original packaging or a photo of it, and ideally a note or repeat-prescription printout from your home doctor; that documentation makes everything smoother and is also wise to carry through customs.

Controlled or specialist drugs need a little more care — strong painkillers, certain psychiatric medicines, and some others may be restricted or sold under a different protocol. For these, go to a doctor at a private clinic rather than hoping a pharmacy will dispense them over the counter; the doctor can assess you and prescribe a legal local equivalent. Never buy prescription medicines from informal street sellers — stick to licensed pharmacies (green cross) and clinics, where quality is regulated.

Prevention is simple and worth the effort: pack more than your trip length — at least a week's buffer — keep medication in your carry-on in its labelled original packaging, and split it across two bags so a lost case is not a crisis. Carry a copy of your prescription. If you do run short, your riad will know the nearest pharmacy and on-duty (de garde) pharmacy for nights and holidays, and if you are travelling with us, tell your designer early — we will find the right pharmacy or clinic and, if needed, arrange a doctor so a refill is a quick errand, not a derailment.