How to find a 24-hour or on-duty pharmacy in Istanbul?

To get a Turkish prescription, you can visit a private clinic: pay for a doctor's consultation there, and the doctor will issue a prescription that you can then use to buy the medicine at a pharmacy.

If a medication is sold over the counter in Turkey, a foreign prescription isn't legally required — the pharmacist may just glance at it to confirm the correct dosage.

Sertraline is available at Istanbul pharmacies without a prescription under the Turkish brand names Lustral or Selectra.

Russian prescriptions are not accepted at Turkish pharmacies. To obtain a Turkish prescription, you must see a local doctor, who will likely require tests and an examination before prescribing.

Online purchase of medicines is completely banned in Turkey. The only option is to visit a pharmacy in person and ask about availability and the specific form of the medication.

The nearest on-duty pharmacy (nöbetçi eczane) in Istanbul can be found on the official Istanbul Pharmacists' Association website, which has a map and list by district.

Be aware that some medications sold over the counter in other countries require a prescription in Turkey. Even an on-duty pharmacy may refuse to sell them without one.