Health · Medicines
My medicine in another country: how to find its local name
The same medicine is sold under completely different names from one country to the next. Paracetamol (called acetaminophen in the US) is Tylenol in America, Doliprane in France, Tachipirina in Italy and ben-u-ron in Germany. The trick is to search by the active ingredient and the strength, never by the brand.
Step 1: find the active ingredient on your pack
- Look for the small print under the brand name, for example “ibuprofen 400 mg” or “cetirizine dihydrochloride 10 mg”. This is the international non-proprietary name (INN), the same in almost every country.
- Note the strength and the form (tablet, slow-release, syrup). Slow-release (“retard”, “XR”, “LP”) versions are not interchangeable with normal tablets.
- Watch the US and UK exceptions: acetaminophen = paracetamol, albuterol = salbutamol, epinephrine = adrenaline, meperidine = pethidine.
Step 2: common brands for the same ingredient
| Country | Paracetamol | Ibuprofen |
|---|---|---|
| USA | Tylenol | Advil, Motrin |
| UK and Ireland | Panadol, Calpol (children) | Nurofen, Brufen |
| Germany | ben-u-ron | Nurofen, Dolormin, IbuHEXAL |
| Austria | Mexalen | Nurofen, Dismenol |
| Switzerland | Dafalgan, Panadol | Algifor, Irfen |
| France | Doliprane, Efferalgan, Dafalgan | Advil, Nurofen |
| Belgium | Dafalgan, Perdolan | Nurofen, Brufen |
| Netherlands | Panadol, store brands | Advil, Nurofen |
| Italy | Tachipirina | Moment, Brufen |
| Spain | Gelocatil, Termalgin, Efferalgan | Espidifen, Neobrufen, Dalsy (children) |
| Portugal | Ben-u-ron, Panadol | Brufen, Nurofen |
| Greece | Depon, Panadol | Algofren, Nurofen |
| Sweden | Alvedon, Panodil | Ipren, Ibumetin |
| Denmark | Panodil, Pamol | Ipren, Ibumetin |
| Finland | Panadol, Para-Tabs | Burana |
| Poland | Apap, Panadol | Ibuprom, Nurofen |
| Czechia | Paralen, Panadol | Ibalgin, Nurofen |
| Romania | Paracetamol, Panadol | Nurofen, Ibalgin, Paduden |
Examples of widely sold brands, not a complete list. Pharmacies everywhere also sell cheaper generics under the ingredient name.
Other medicines people often look for
| Ingredient | Used for | Brand examples |
|---|---|---|
| Cetirizine | Hay fever, allergies | Zyrtec (most countries), Reactine (Canada) |
| Loratadine | Hay fever, allergies | Claritin (US), Clarityne (UK, France, Spain), Lisino (Germany) |
| Omeprazole | Heartburn, reflux | Prilosec (US), Losec (UK, Nordics), Antra (Germany) |
| Diclofenac gel | Muscle and joint pain | Voltaren (most of Europe), Voltarol (UK) |
| Metamizole | Pain and fever | Novalgin (Germany, Austria), Nolotil (Spain); not sold in the UK or US |
| Salbutamol | Asthma inhaler | Ventolin (most of Europe), ProAir, “albuterol” (US) |
Step 3: check in the official database
Every country has a public list of authorised medicines that you can search by active ingredient. Look for products with the same ingredient, strength and form.
- France: base de données publique des médicaments. Spain: CIMA (AEMPS). Italy: AIFA medicines database. Portugal: Infomed (Infarmed).
- UK: the electronic Medicines Compendium (emc). Ireland: HPRA product search. Netherlands: Geneesmiddeleninformatiebank. Switzerland: compendium.ch.
- Medicines approved for the whole EU are also listed by the European Medicines Agency.
Step 4: show the pharmacist
Bring the empty pack or a photo of it, or a doctor’s letter listing each medicine by its active ingredient, strength and daily dose. Pharmacists in Europe are trained to match ingredients and will tell you if the local version needs a prescription. See our guide to what you can buy without a prescription.
General information, not medical advice. Always check the strength and ingredients on the pack, and ask a pharmacist or doctor before switching or combining medicines.
Sources
This guide is general information based on the tax rules we could verify for 2026, not tax or financial advice. Rules change and personal situations differ, so check with the tax authority or a qualified adviser before you act. Spotted a mistake? Email [email protected].