An American man living in Spain has revealed one his favorite culture shocks, in the form of visiting a pharmacy.
In one of his recent TikToks, cook and author Jeremy Scheck takes viewers inside a pharmacy in Madrid as he runs through some of the biggest differences between a store in Europe and one back in America.
Firstly, he says the job as a pharmacist is different in both countries, and ‘here in Spain there are no medications you can grab yourself, not even Advil.’
Next up, he highlights how things are displayed differently and details that the type of products stocked is not the same.
The foodie explains that in Spanish pharmacies, you find ‘mostly skincare, perfumes, specialty shampoos or mouthwashes’ on the shelves.
In one of his recent TikToks, cook and author Jeremy Scheck takes viewers inside a pharmacy in Madrid and he compares it to what you find in the US
These are mostly higher end brands, so if you want ‘everyday brands like Dove or Crest’ you have to pay a separate visit to the grocery store.
When it comes to receiving prescriptions, Jeremy also outlines some of the things he has noticed during his time in Spain.
He reveals: ‘Prescriptions are also really different because they usually don’t put anything into a pill bottle.
‘It’s just written, so you’re prescribed a whole box.’
Because the pharmacists ‘are not counting pills all day,’ Jeremy says the customer service is better and you get one-on-one consultations.
The content creator notes that he even knows his pharmacist, Soledad, by name.
Offering an example of how she has provided him with a tailored service, he says: ‘When I moved here since the climate is a lot drier, so my skincare routine wasn’t working for me.
‘[So] she helped design a new routine.’
In terms of over the counter medications available, Jeremy says most are the same but in Spain, you ‘just have to ask the pharmacist or describe your symptoms’ as they are not on display to pick up.
The foodie explains that in Spanish pharmacies, you find ‘mostly skincare, perfumes, specialty shampoos or mouthwashes’
Another major difference Jeremy highlights is the fact that Spain has free healthcare.
Therefore, he says, ‘when you’re not feeling well, a lot of time, pharmacists act as the first line of defense.’
He continues: ‘They’ll sort of tell you whether or not you need to go to the doctor.’
Therefore, he says, ‘when you’re not feeling well, a lot of time, pharmacists act as the first line of defense.’
Lastly, Jeremy tells his 2.1 million followers: ‘And of course, name brand medications are a fraction of the price.’
After visiting ‘most EU countries,’ the TikTok creator says Spain’s system is ‘fairly standard,’ ‘but there countries like the Netherlands that have a lot over the counter that you can grab yourself.’
To date, Jeremy’s video has been watched more than 95,000 times, with many viewers expressing their thoughts on the matter.
One commenter wrote: ‘Yeah, I’ll take [Spain’s] system over the US capitalistic style any day.’
Another viewer vented: ‘[The] American system is broken for patients AND for pharmacists!
‘Counting pills is time consuming. Long delays in filling Rx’s are more common and strikes by pharmacists are happening.’
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