Network of pharmacies
For Health, we care with proximity.
Portuguese Pharmacies are always by people's side, at every stage of life, providing personalised healthcare delivered by highly qualified teams that people know and trust.
75,2%
of people have high or complete trust in their pharmacist
4,51
is the satisfaction rating achieved by pharmacies, the highest among all healthcare services
(based on a 0–5 rating scale)
Portuguese Pharmacies are a true healthcare network, working closely with other healthcare providers and levels of care to meet the specific needs of every community.
Thanks to their accessibility, extensive geographic coverage and extended opening hours, pharmacies are often the first, and, in many parts of the country, the only point of contact with the healthcare system. 82% of people in Portugal live within 5 km of a pharmacy, with an average travel time of just 7–11 minutes, even in rural areas.*
A network of more than 2,920 community pharmacies, spanning mainland Portugal, the islands and inland regions, providing reliable, high-quality care to the more than half a million people who visit Portuguese Pharmacies every day.
In addition to ensuring the safe supply of medicines and access to other health technologies, community pharmacies provide a wide range of healthcare services focused on disease prevention and health promotion.
When experiencing a minor health condition, 57.2% of people turn to a pharmacy first*, helping to reduce unnecessary GP appointments and visits to hospital emergency departments.
Community pharmacies also offer services such as vaccination, rapid diagnostic testing for infectious diseases and medication adherence programmes, reinforcing the increasingly important role of the pharmacy network in meeting the healthcare needs of local communities.
Every day, pharmacies are staffed by highly qualified professionals, whose numbers have more than doubled over the past 20 years.
Today, there are an average of 4 pharmacists per pharmacy*, alongside pharmacy technicians and support staff, reflecting the high and continuously growing level of expertise across the community pharmacy network.
The community pharmacy network is a strategic national asset, playing a vital role in strengthening Portugal's public health system while contributing significantly to the economy. It supports around 53,000 jobs nationwide, accounts for 1.12% of GDP, and generates more than €1.2 billion in annual tax revenue, equivalent to 7.8% of the National Health Service (SNS) budget.
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