EUROPEAN UNION · AUSTRIA
Austria: medicines and EU prescriptions
Austria’s online pharmacy route is limited to authorised non-prescription medicines. BASG also addresses inbound parcels from other EEA countries, so a seller abroad is not a way around the Austrian prescription classification.
Last updated: October 2026
| Question | Evidence and limits |
|---|---|
| Domestic non-prescription online sales | Permitted with conditions. Non-prescription online supply permitted under national conditions. [AT-ONLINE] Scope: Human medicines; sellers established in Austria |
| Domestic prescription online sales | Not permitted. Prescription online retail sales prohibited. [AT-ONLINE] Scope: Online sale/dispensing; distinguish reservation, consultation and arranged delivery |
| Recognition of other EU prescriptions | Recognition subject to national rules. EU cross-border prescription recognition framework applies; dispensing remains subject to national rules. [EU-RX] Scope: Ordinary prescriptions from another EU state; not a guarantee for every product or controlled medicine |
| Cross-border parcel supply into Austria | Prescription parcels prohibited. BASG prohibits EEA distance procurement of medicines prescription-only in Austria. OTC products must meet Austrian authorisation conditions. [AT-ONLINE] Scope: EEA pharmacy to patient in Austria |
| Cross-border shipment from Austria | Not confirmed. Destination-specific outbound delivery permission not confirmed. Scope: Austria as seller country |
| Foreign ePrescriptions dispensed in Austria | Not confirmed. Country-pair ePrescription dispensing availability not confirmed. Scope: Austria as dispensing country |
| Local ePrescriptions used abroad | Not confirmed. Country-pair ePrescription dispensing availability not confirmed. Scope: Austria as prescription-origin country |
| Reimbursement | Check your home insurer. Home-insurer eligibility and claim process determine reimbursement; national medicine-specific coverage not confirmed. [EU-PAY] Scope: Insurance country, product and purchase route must be identified; not automatic foreign pharmacy payment |
Austria: check the local classification before ordering
BASG excludes prescription medicines from distance supply into Austria from another EEA country. It also excludes pharmacy-made magistral and officinal preparations from this mail-order route.
A practical next step
Ask the pharmacy whether your exact product is an authorised, finished non-prescription medicine. A familiar ingredient name does not establish that a particular strength or preparation fits the route.
Useful local terminology: rezeptfrei (non-prescription); rezeptpflichtig (prescription-only).
Verify the responsible seller
Use the official route below to locate the relevant guidance or seller list. Some authority pages link onward to a separate register. Compare the legal business, dispensing premises and exact website address; a logo image alone is insufficient.
BASG: pharmacy verification route. See how to verify an EU online pharmacy for the full checking process.
Using a prescription issued elsewhere in the EU
EU recognition is conditional on the medicine and national dispensing rules. For documentation, preparation and product-name questions, use the cross-border prescription guide. An online purchase and a pharmacy dispensing visit require separate checks.
Electronic prescriptions and payment
Check the specific origin, destination and participating pharmacy before travelling. The table reports only the pairs established by the cited sources. Patient Summary connections do not establish ePrescription dispensing. Ask your home insurer about the intended medicine purchase and keep the itemised receipt.
For national contact routing, consult Austria’s contact-point website or the official EU/EEA contact directory. Your insurance country determines which insurer should answer your claim question.
Before you commit to a purchase
Write down the exact medicine, strength, formulation, quantity, prescription origin, destination address and insurance country. Ask the pharmacy to confirm stock, document handling, delivery eligibility and total charges for that particular request. Do not change a medicine or dose to fit an available website listing.
Official sources / References
- BASG: distance-selling FAQ — Online categories; EEA shipments; compounded products
- Your Europe: presenting a prescription in another EU country — Prescription information and national dispensing rules
- Your Europe: prescription expenses and reimbursement — Cross-border prescriptions and EHIC
- EMA: buying medicines online and national registers — Logo verification; national-register directory
- European Commission: electronic cross-border health services — ePrescription versus Patient Summary
- EOPYY: official EU/EEA National Contact Point directory — Country contact listings; updated 20 August 2026
This page explains access routes and official information. It does not select a treatment or guarantee that a pharmacy will dispense, ship or secure reimbursement for a particular medicine. About MediSearcher.