Sick Business at the Pharmacy

Friday afternoon I came across another one of those ridiculous things about Germany that both scandalize and amaze me.

I needed some hydrogen peroxide. In America, you can go to Wal-Mart, or even the corner convenient store, and pick up a pint (approx ½ a liter) for under $1.00. Not so in Germany. It is one of those items you must buy at the Apotheke (the pharmacy).

For my American readers that are confused, let me explain. There are no Wal-Mart pharmacies in Germany and over-the-counter drugs (or other similarly dangerous things like Hydrogen Peroxide and BAKING SODA) are only sold at pharmacies. Need some aspirin? Well, don't bother looking for it at Wal-Mart, cuz it ain't gonna be there!

Not only are these items only available at the pharmacy, you must request them from the man or woman behind the counter in the white coat and when you do, you get the third degree. What is it that you need? Why do you need it? What are you going to do with it? How much of it do you need? Personally, I don't think it is anybody's business why I need hydrogen peroxide, I just want some!

So on Friday, once A. and I finally convinced the woman behind the counter that we only wanted hydrogen peroxide for disinfection and not to make a hydrogen peroxide bomb, we came across another utterly repulsive thing: the price! 100 ml (a little more than 1/3 cup) of hydrogen peroxide was going to set us back almost 9 Euros! I nearly fainted! However, we really needed some, so after a lot of grumbling by me to A., we plunked down our money.

Two days later, I am still reeling in shock. It wasn't that we had to go the pharmacy, I was prepared for that. But even now, the price makes me sick to my stomach... but not too sick, I don't want to have to go back and find out how much Pepto-Bismol costs!