Foundations · Spain
What can a parafarmacia sell in Spain?
A Spanish parafarmacia can sell cosmetics, food supplements and most medical devices, but no medicines, not even paracetamol. What counts is a product's legal status, not its brand or where it sits on the shelf.
The basic rule
Article 3(6) of Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2015 says the custody, conservation and dispensing of human medicines "corresponderá exclusivamente" to authorised pharmacies open to the public, and to hospital and health-centre services. It makes no exception for medicines sold without a prescription, so a parafarmacia cannot sell any medicine.
Everything else turns on classification. Under Article 2(a), a product is a medicine if it is presented as treating or preventing disease in humans, or if it can be used to restore, correct or modify physiological functions. The same ingredient can therefore sit on either side of the line: what matters is the product's legal status and what it claims to do, not its brand.
What a parafarmacia cannot sell
Medicines, with or without prescription
| Product | Why |
|---|---|
| Paracetamol and ibuprofen, including brands such as Panadol and Nurofen | Medicines. Packs that need no prescription still stay in pharmacies. |
| Antifungal creams with clotrimazole or terbinafine, such as Canespie, Canesten, Lamisil and Scholmed | Medicines, including those for athlete's foot sold without a prescription. Scholmed 10 mg/g cream is a terbinafine medicine (CIMA no. 68805) whose holder is Scholl's Wellness Company. |
| Antifungal nail lacquers with amorolfine, such as Locetar | Medicines. |
| Nasal menthol sticks such as Inhalvicks, and Vicks VapoRub | Listed as medicines in CIMA. A product intended to be inhaled cannot be a cosmetic (Article 2(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009). |
| Emergency contraception (levonorgestrel, ellaOne) | Medicines, even though no prescription is needed. |
| Nicotine replacement medicines such as Nicorette and Nicotinell | Medicines. |
| Antiseptic medicines such as Cristalmina and Betadine | Medicines. Some products for healthy skin are biocides instead (see below). |
| Homeopathic medicines | Medicines under Article 50 of Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2015. |
| Traditional herbal medicines | AEMPS states that they must be dispensed in pharmacies. |
Devices with a restricted channel
| Product | Why |
|---|---|
| Pregnancy tests and other self-tests (fertility, HIV, glucose, COVID-19) | Article 19(7) of Real Decreto 942/2025: retail sale "se realizará exclusivamente a través de las oficinas de farmacia" or the pharmacy's own website with no intermediaries. Self-testing software is excepted. |
| Medical devices in the public pharmaceutical benefit | Since 1 July 2026, Article 24(5) of Real Decreto 90/2026: supply outside the public system "se efectuará en todo caso por oficinas de farmacia". See the note below. |
| Implantable devices and devices for professional use | Article 24(7) of Real Decreto 192/2023 bars their sale to the public in any outlet. |
The July 2026 rule on publicly funded devices
The annexes of Real Decreto 90/2026 include groups such as gauze, bandages, dressings, incontinence absorbents, ostomy bags, catheters and inhalation devices. A Ministry of Health FAQ from May 2026 confirms that these go through pharmacies whether or not public funds pay. The rule appears to attach to the specific listed product rather than to the whole category, so a parafarmacia could sell a gauze that is not on the list but not one that is. That is our reading of the text: we found no official guidance or enforcement on the point, and the AEMPS marketing guide does not mention the rule.
What a parafarmacia can sell
| Product | Why |
|---|---|
| Cosmetics, including skincare, toothpaste and sunscreen | Cosmetic products. AEMPS confirms that sun protection products are cosmetics in the EU. |
| Food supplements | Real Decreto 1487/2009 sets no sales channel. A supplement may not claim to prevent, treat or cure disease. |
| Most medical devices: plasters, thermometers, condoms, supports | AEMPS: the law sets no specific sales channel for devices, other than individually adapted products, and they may be sold in "oficinas de farmacia, parafarmacias, supermercados, tiendas, etc.", provided the outlet meets the requirements. |
| Plants traditionally considered medicinal, without therapeutic claims | Article 51(3) of Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2015 allows free sale, but not street sale. Toxic plants on the restricted list are excluded. |
| Antiseptics for healthy skin authorised as biocides | We found no channel rule. The label shows "Antiséptico de piel sana" and an AEMPS number ending in -DES. |
It depends on the product
| Product | What decides it |
|---|---|
| Scholl-branded foot sprays and nail products | A brand does not settle the question. Scholmed is a medicine; other products under the same brand may be cosmetics or devices. Check each pack. |
| Chlorhexidine mouthwash | Annex V of the Cosmetics Regulation allows chlorhexidine as a preservative at up to 0.3%, so a mouthwash can be a cosmetic, but that does not permit therapeutic claims. Some are sold under other statuses. CIMA showed no marketed chlorhexidine mouthwash medicine on 1 November 2026. |
| Magnesium sulphate cream or bath salts | Without therapeutic claims these are likely cosmetics, and CIMA lists no topical magnesium sulphate medicine. Magnesium sulphate for oral use or injection is a medicine. A claim to treat a condition would bring the product within Article 2(a). |
| Topical menthol sticks for headache | A claim to relieve headache risks making the product a medicine, and Real Decreto 1907/1996 bars products claiming a therapeutic use outside medicines law. We found no AEMPS ruling on these sticks. |
| Contact lenses and orthopaedic products | Not reserved to pharmacies. If a product is adapted to the individual, the outlet needs regional authorisation and a suitably qualified professional (Article 26 of Real Decreto 192/2023). |
| Infant formula | Unsettled. Article 12 of Real Decreto 867/2008 says formula is marketed through pharmacies and "los canales del comercio minorista de alimentación". We found no authority on whether a parafarmacia counts as a food retailer, or on whether that article survives Regulation (EU) No 609/2013. Point-of-sale advertising is banned in every outlet. |
| Foods for special medical purposes | We found no pharmacy reservation in the EU or Spanish rules. The label must say the food is to be used under medical supervision. |
How to tell whether a product is a medicine
- Search CIMA. The AEMPS database at cima.aemps.es lists authorised medicines. Search by active substance and holder as well as by name: a name search for "scholl" misses Scholmed. Absence is not proof either, because some homeopathic products are not in CIMA.
- Read the pack. A medicine shows its prescription and dispensing conditions. A device shows the CE mark, a notified-body number where one applies, and a statement that it is a producto sanitario. A cosmetic names the responsible person and states its function.
- Do not rely on a "CN" alone. Each medicine presentation has a Código Nacional, but the Consejo General de Colegios Farmacéuticos also issues a voluntary Código Nacional de Parafarmacia for other products. It implies no guarantee of quality or health endorsement.
Farmacia and parafarmacia compared
| Farmacia | Parafarmacia | |
|---|---|---|
| Medicines | All, on the applicable conditions | None |
| Self-tests | Yes | No |
| Cosmetics, supplements, most devices | Yes | Yes |
| Owner | Pharmacists only (Ley 14/1986, Article 103(4)) | Any person or company |
| Pharmacist required | Yes | No |
| Opening | Subject to regional pharmacy planning | General commercial rules |
Who can own or run a parafarmacia
Any person or company. The pharmacist-only rule in Article 103(4) of Ley 14/1986 applies to oficinas de farmacia, and Ley 16/1997 limits their transfer to other pharmacists. No state or regional text we read extends this to parafarmacias. No statute says so expressly: the answer follows from the absence of a restriction. We read the state rules and those of Madrid, Galicia, Asturias and the Canary Islands, not all 17 autonomous communities.
The title Técnico en Farmacia y Parafarmacia (Real Decreto 1689/2007) is a vocational qualification, and the decree states that it does not regulate the exercise of any profession. Claims that a parafarmacia's owner must hold it cite no law that we could find.
Practical requirements still apply. We found no health-establishment licence specific to parafarmacias. For premises of up to 750 m² covered by its annex, Ley 12/2012 replaces advance licensing with a responsible declaration or prior communication. A retailer of medical devices must also give prior notice to the regional health authority (Article 24(3) of Real Decreto 192/2023). One exception concerns prescribers: Article 4(1) of Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2015 makes clinical practice incompatible with direct economic interests in commercialising medicines and devices.
What may change
Two points should be rechecked. Spain's competition authority, the CNMC, has challenged Articles 19(7) and 19(8) of Real Decreto 942/2025 before the Supreme Court (appeal 1/51/2026), arguing that parafarmacias and drugstores are safe channels for self-tests; we found no judgment or suspension as of November 2026. A government bill on medicines and medical devices is also before the Spanish parliament. It keeps the pharmacy reservation, but if it passes it would replace Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2015, and the article numbers here would change.
This page is a general reference, not legal advice. A product's status can change, so check the current pack and CIMA entry.
Frequently asked questions
Can a parafarmacia in Spain sell paracetamol or Panadol?
No. Paracetamol products are medicines, and Spain reserves all medicines to pharmacies, including those sold without a prescription.
Can a parafarmacia sell antifungal cream for athlete's foot?
Not if the cream is a medicine, as those with clotrimazole or terbinafine are. Some foot products sold as cosmetics or medical devices can be sold there, so check the individual product.
Can a parafarmacia sell pregnancy tests?
No. Article 19(7) of Real Decreto 942/2025 reserves the retail sale of self-tests to pharmacies and a pharmacy's own website. The competition authority has challenged the rule before the Supreme Court.
Can a parafarmacia sell infant formula?
The position is unclear. Real Decreto 867/2008 names pharmacies and food retail channels, and we found no authority on whether a parafarmacia counts as a food retailer.
Who can be the holder of a parafarmacia?
Any person or company. Unlike a pharmacy, a parafarmacia needs no pharmacist owner, and the title Técnico en Farmacia y Parafarmacia is a qualification, not a condition of ownership.
What is the difference between a farmacia and a parafarmacia in Spain?
A farmacia is a pharmacist-owned health establishment that dispenses medicines. A parafarmacia is an ordinary shop selling cosmetics, supplements and most medical devices, and it cannot sell any medicine.
References & further reading
- Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2015 (consolidated), Articles 2, 3, 4, 50, 51 and 86: boe.es.
- Ley 14/1986, General de Sanidad, Article 103(4): boe.es.
- Ley 16/1997 on pharmacy services: boe.es.
- Real Decreto 192/2023 on medical devices: boe.es.
- Real Decreto 942/2025 on in vitro diagnostic devices: boe.es.
- Real Decreto 90/2026, Article 24(5): boe.es.
- Ministry of Health, questions and answers on Real Decreto 90/2026: sanidad.gob.es.
- AEMPS, guide to marketing medical devices: aemps.gob.es.
- CNMC, challenge to the self-test rules, 17 March 2026: cnmc.es.
- Real Decreto 867/2008 on infant formula, Articles 9 and 12: boe.es.
- Real Decreto 1487/2009 on food supplements: boe.es.
- Real Decreto 1907/1996 on advertising of products with claimed health purposes: boe.es.
- Real Decreto 1689/2007 establishing the title of Técnico en Farmacia y Parafarmacia: boe.es.
- Ley 12/2012 on urgent liberalisation measures: boe.es.
- AEMPS, CIMA medicines database: cima.aemps.es. Entries checked on 1 November 2026.
- Consejo General de Colegios Farmacéuticos, Código Nacional de Parafarmacia: farmaceuticos.com.
Last reviewed: November 2026.