Over-the-counter paracetamol (20 tablets) typically costs €1.50–€3.00, a standard antibiotic course €5–€15, and chronic-disease prescriptions such as statins or ACE inhibitors €8–€25 monthly before reimbursement. The NVD compensated medicines scheme reimburses 50%, 75% or 100% of the reference price for listed conditions, with patients paying a small dispensing fee plus the difference if they choose a non-reference brand. EU visitors with an EHIC receive the same reimbursement terms as residents. The full reimbursement list and reference prices are published by the State Agency of Medicines at zva.gov.lv, which also maintains the medicine register and authenticity verification tools.

§02Emergencies & out-of-hours care

Riga operates a duty pharmacy rota: at least one Mēness aptieka branch on Brīvības gatve and the 24-hour Benu inside the Central Station building dispense overnight, with the current rota posted on each pharmacy door and on zva.gov.lv. For acute medical emergencies dial 113 (ambulance) or the pan-European 112, both of which route to the same dispatch centre. Rīga East Clinical University Hospital (Hipokrāta iela 2) handles most adult emergency admissions, while Children's Clinical University Hospital on Vienības gatve covers paediatric cases. Pharmacists cannot prescribe antibiotics; an emergency GP consultation at a hospital A&E is required first.

§03Frequently asked questions

Do Riga pharmacies accept foreign prescriptions? Pharmacies accept EU cross-border prescriptions issued on the standard EU template, provided the medicine is registered in Latvia. Prescriptions from outside the EU are generally not honoured and must be re-issued by a Latvian-licensed doctor. Most central Riga pharmacists in Centrs and Old Town speak English and Russian, and many can identify equivalent Latvian-registered products if the exact brand is unavailable. Controlled substances always require a Latvian prescription.

Can I buy antibiotics over the counter? No. Latvia enforces prescription-only dispensing for all systemic antibiotics, and ZVA audits compliance strictly. Topical antibiotics for minor skin issues remain prescription-controlled as well. For urgent infections outside clinic hours, the family doctor consultation line 66016001 can issue an electronic prescription that any Riga pharmacy retrieves from the e-veseliba system within minutes.

Are there 24-hour pharmacies in Riga? Yes — the Central Station Benu and at least one rotating Mēness aptieka branch on Brīvības gatve operate 24/7. Outside the centre, most pharmacies in Purvciems, Imanta and Pārdaugava close by 22:00, with Sunday hours often shortened to 10:00–18:00. The duty rota is updated weekly.

Do pharmacies in Riga sell homeopathic and herbal remedies? Yes, broadly. Latvian pharmacies stock a wide range of registered herbal preparations, vitamins and traditional Baltic remedies alongside conventional medicines, and Mēness aptieka in particular maintains dedicated naturopathy counters. All such products must carry ZVA registration numbers to be sold legally.

Is the e-prescription system used everywhere? Yes. Since 2018 the national e-veseliba platform handles essentially all prescriptions; patients present an ID card or passport and the pharmacist retrieves the script electronically. Paper prescriptions remain valid but are now rare outside private specialist clinics.

§04Safety note

This directory is informational only and is not medical advice. Patients should consult a licensed pharmacy or physician for individual clinical decisions.