Hurriyet: Türkiye becomes pharmaceutical hub for Russians

Türkiye has become a place for pharmaceutical shopping for Russian tourists.

Along with souvenirs, Russians travel to Türkiye to buy medicines at local resorts, according to Hurriyet newspaper.

"The first thing that Russian citizens who have recently settled in their hotels in Türkiye for vacation do is look for pharmacies nearby. As of August of this season, when almost 2 million Russians visited Türkiye, new pharmacies serving Russians were opening near 5-star hotels in the Mediterranean and Aegean regions. Personnel in Antalya, Belek, Alanya, Kemer, Marmaris, and Bodrum pharmacies are well-versed in the Turkish equivalents of Russian medicines," the article claims.

 The newspaper also clarified that, while demand for pharmaceuticals has increased significantly since last May, drugs have surpassed all other consumer goods and souvenirs exported from Türkiye to Russia.

"This situation on the Mediterranean coast began to be called 'pharma shopping'. Russian citizens coming to Türkiye mostly demand painkillers, antidepressants and diabetic drugs. Another popular item is contact lenses. Prices for contact lenses in Türkiye are three times cheaper than in Russia," Hurriyet writes.