If you take medication for anxiety, sleep or ADHD and you are travelling in Brazil, running out can be stressful. Controlled medication in Brazil follows stricter rules than ordinary medicines: the pharmacy will ask for a special Brazilian prescription, and a prescription from your home country is not enough. This guide explains which medicines are affected, why, and how to get a valid prescription online, in English.
Quick answer: medicines on Brazil's controlled-substance lists, such as clonazepam, alprazolam, zolpidem, methylphenidate (Ritalin) and morphine, require a special prescription form called a Notificação de Receita (Hospital Sírio-Libanês pharmaceutical guide; Anvisa). Since Anvisa's RDC No. 1,000/2025, these prescriptions can also be issued electronically (RDC No. 1,000/2025). PresençaMed issues them digitally, after an online consultation and only when the doctor considers it appropriate.
What counts as controlled medication in Brazil
Brazil's health regulator, Anvisa, keeps official lists of controlled substances. The medicines travelers ask about most often fall into a few groups:
- Anxiety and sleep medicines such as clonazepam, alprazolam and diazepam (List B1) (reference table).
- Zolpidem, for short-term insomnia: since 1 August 2024, every zolpidem medicine needs a Notificação de Receita B, whatever the dose (Anvisa).
- ADHD stimulants such as methylphenidate (Ritalin) and lisdexamfetamine (List A3) (Anvisa RDC No. 404/2020).
- Strong painkillers such as morphine (List A1) (reference table).
If you take Adderall, note that it is not sold in Brazil; see our FAQ about Adderall and alternatives.
Why your home prescription is not accepted for controlled medication in Brazil
A Brazilian pharmacy can only dispense these medicines against a Brazilian Notificação de Receita, issued by a doctor registered in Brazil and linked to the national control system (RDC No. 1,000/2025). That is why travelers often find that even a perfectly valid prescription from their own country is refused at the counter. More on this in how to get a prescription or medicine in Brazil as a foreigner.
How long a controlled medication prescription is valid in Brazil
A Notificação de Receita B is valid for 30 days and accepted anywhere in Brazil (Anvisa). An electronic prescription can only be used once at the pharmacy, which registers it in the national system (RDC No. 1,000/2025).
Digital prescriptions for controlled medication in Brazil
Until recently, these forms existed only on paper. RDC No. 1,000/2025 allows them to be issued electronically, through prescription services integrated with Anvisa's national system, with official numbering and a qualified digital signature (RDC No. 1,000/2025). For a traveler this matters: the prescription arrives on your phone, with no paper to collect or post. Read more in blue and yellow prescriptions can now be digital in Brazil.
Because the system is new, some pharmacies may still be adapting. If one does not accept it, let us know.
What PresençaMed can and cannot prescribe
- Can, when appropriate: anxiety and sleep medicines, ADHD stimulants and strong painkillers, issued digitally after the consultation.
- Cannot: appetite suppressants such as sibutramine are not prescribed by PresençaMed.
- Never guaranteed in advance: the doctor decides based on your history, your current treatment and safety. Sometimes the right answer is a different dose, a shorter supply or an in-person assessment.
How to prepare for the consultation
- Have the box or a photo of your medicine, with the exact name and dose.
- Bring your prescription from home, or a letter from your doctor, if you have one.
- Know how long you have been taking it and how many days you need to cover.
- List any other medicines, alcohol use and allergies: some combinations are risky.
Do not stop these medicines abruptly or take someone else's, and never self-medicate; changes should always be decided with a doctor.
How a consultation with PresençaMed International works
- Book and pay on the website: choose a time on the booking page. One flat price per consultation, shown before you pay.
- At your chosen time, the doctor contacts you for the video consultation, in English or Spanish, every day from 8am to 10pm Brazil time (GMT-3).
- If the doctor considers it appropriate, the prescription is issued digitally and reaches your phone, ready to show at the pharmacy. No CPF is needed.
Telehealth is authorized throughout Brazil (Brazilian telehealth law), and the doctor can always decide that in-person care is needed. Emergencies, such as an overdose, severe withdrawal symptoms or thoughts of self-harm, need in-person care: call 192 (SAMU). See what to do in a medical emergency in Brazil.
Frequently asked questions about controlled medication in Brazil
Can I buy clonazepam or zolpidem in Brazil without a prescription?
No. They require a Notificação de Receita B issued in Brazil (reference table; Anvisa).
Is Ritalin available in Brazil?
Yes, methylphenidate is sold in Brazil, but it is on List A3 and needs a Notificação de Receita A (Anvisa).
Will the pharmacy accept a digital controlled prescription?
The regulation provides for electronic prescriptions, and the pharmacy checks the signature, number and validity (RDC No. 1,000/2025). Some pharmacies may still be adapting to the new system.
Do I need a CPF?
No. You don't need a CPF to be seen; see our FAQ.
Running low on your medication in Brazil? Book an online consultation
Book your online consultation with a physician registered with the CRM, in English or Spanish, by video, every day from 8am to 10pm Brazil time. Any prescription depends on the doctor's assessment.
Medical review: Dr. Marcelo R. Luján, Physician, CRM-SC 42.900, postgraduate in Family and Community Medicine (UNIFESP). Technical director of PresençaMed (Lujan e Perazolo Pera Serviços Médicos LTDA, CRM-SC PJ 14623). This content is general information and does not replace an individual consultation. Intense symptoms, or symptoms that worsen quickly, require in-person care or an emergency service (call 192, SAMU).