Asthma in Germany: Pollen Season, Inhalers and Pharmacy Access
Germany's intense birch and grass pollen season and prescription-only inhaler rules require specific preparation. Here's what to plan before you fly.
Asthma in Germany: what changes when you travel
Germany has one of Europe's most pronounced pollen seasons: birch pollen peaks from late March through April, and grass pollen continues through June and July[5]. Berlin's current air quality index reads Good at 26, with ozone as the dominant pollutant, but that changes sharply during pollen season. All inhalers are prescription-only under German law, and foreign prescriptions are not directly dispensed at German pharmacies without a local prescription.
This guide covers medication import rules and the 90-day personal supply limit under the German Medicinal Products Act (Arzneimittelgesetz, AMG), local brand names for your inhalers, how to access a Pneumologe (pulmonologist) in the public or private system, and the phrases you need in a German emergency department.
Medical disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your specialist before travelling, particularly regarding changes to your treatment schedule and travel insurance.
Key risks
Key risks for asthma travellers in Germany
Intense spring pollen season
Germany's pollen season runs from March to July, with birch and grass pollen among the most common sensitisers in the adult population[5]. Check the German Pollen Information Service (Polleninformationsdienst) forecast before outdoor activity.
Thunderstorm asthma risk
During spring and summer, thunderstorms can fragment pollen into smaller allergenic particles that penetrate more deeply into the respiratory tract[6]. Carry your reliever inhaler at all times during thunderstorm season and move indoors when storms approach.
Prescription-only inhalers and no foreign prescription dispensing
All inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators require a prescription in Germany. German pharmacies do not directly dispense foreign prescriptions[1]; bring your full supply plus a doctor's letter in German or English.
Urban air quality and ozone peaks
Berlin's baseline AQI is Good (26), but urban ozone and particulate matter spike during summer heat. Check live AQI via the Umweltbundesamt (Federal Environment Agency) portal before spending extended time outdoors.
Cold winter air and indoor heating
German winters involve sustained cold and dry indoor heating, both known airway irritants. If visiting between November and February, wear a scarf over your nose and mouth outdoors and keep your rescue inhaler accessible at all times.
Preparation checklist
- Carry a full supply of all inhalers — Germany permits up to a 90-day personal supply of prescription medication under AMG Section 73; bring your entire trip supply as German pharmacies cannot dispense against a foreign prescription.
- Get a doctor's letter in German or English — The letter must name each medication by its INN, state it is for personal use, and include your diagnosis. Present it at customs if asked.
- Pack your rescue inhaler in hand luggage — Keep it accessible at airport security; liquid inhalers are exempt from standard cabin liquid restrictions when accompanied by a prescription label.
- Download the Polleninformationsdienst app — The German Pollen Information Service provides daily pollen counts by region; check it every morning during pollen season (March to July).
- Check current air quality — Bookmark the Umweltbundesamt (umweltbundesamt.de) live AQI map for German cities before extended outdoor activity.
- Create your Nomedic IPS before departure — Your International Patient Summary stores your diagnosis, medications with INNs, allergies, and emergency contacts; German clinicians can scan the QR code without needing to speak your language.
- Confirm your EHIC or GHIC is valid — EU/EEA and UK travellers should check the expiry date; it covers medically necessary GKV public system care at no direct cost.
- Save Germany's emergency numbers offline — Ambulance and fire: 112; police: 110. Save in Nomedic so they are accessible without mobile data.
- Research the nearest Pneumologe before you travel — Identify a pulmonologist (Lungenfacharzt) near your accommodation and save the address and phone number offline.
- Pack a spare spacer or peak flow meter — German pharmacies stock spacers (Inhalationshilfe) but device compatibility varies; carry your own for continuity.
Documents to carry
Documents to carry when travelling to Germany with asthma
Keep these documents on your phone and in a physical copy. The Nomedic app consolidates most of them into a single shareable record; your medical record is accessible offline and readable by any German clinician.
Your International Patient Summary (IPS)
The IPS is a structured medical record built to the HL7 FHIR standard that any clinician worldwide can interpret. It lists your asthma diagnosis, all current medications with INNs and doses, allergies, and relevant clinical history.
Nomedic generates your IPS automatically and stores it with a QR code you can share offline. In a German emergency department, show the QR code first; it removes the language barrier instantly.
Full document checklist
Keep the following accessible on your phone and ready to share. Your Nomedic IPS covers items 1 and 6 automatically.
- ·Your Nomedic IPS Covers your asthma diagnosis, current inhalers with INNs, allergies, and emergency contacts. Offline and QR-shareable.
- ·
- ·Original prescriptions with INN names Keep inhalers in original packaging with the prescription label attached; this is the primary evidence of personal-use status at German customs[1].
- ·
- ·Travel insurance schedule Policy number and insurer's 24-hour line saved in your Nomedic profile.
- ·Germany emergency numbers Ambulance and fire: 112; police: 110[7]. Saved offline in Nomedic.
Medications advice
Bringing your asthma medications to Germany
Under Section 73 of the German Medicinal Products Act (AMG), travellers may bring up to a 90-day personal supply[1] of prescription medication without prior authorisation, provided the medication is in its original packaging with a prescription label and accompanied by a doctor's letter. Present the certificate in German or English to avoid delays at customs[2]. Standard asthma inhalers (salbutamol, budesonide, fluticasone) are not scheduled under the German Narcotics Act (BtMG) and do not require a special import permit.
Do not post your medication to Germany.
Postal import of prescription medications is prohibited under German law; packages sent without prior authorisation may be seized by customs. Always carry your full inhaler supply in person in hand luggage.
Asthma medications: brand names, INNs, and Germany availability
The following brand names are authorised in Germany by BfArM or via centralised EMA authorisation and are stocked in most German pharmacies (Apotheken).
Prescription-only in Germany; stored at room temperature, protect from frost.
Prescription-only; store below 30°C, keep away from direct sunlight.
Prescription-only combination inhaler; store at room temperature.
Prescription-only combination inhaler; store below 25°C.
Prescription-only; approved by BfArM. Store at room temperature.
Prescription-only; neuropsychiatric adverse events labelling applies per EMA.
Prescription-only; used for acute bronchospasm in addition to SABA.
Montelukast and neuropsychiatric effects
The EMA updated montelukast (Singulair) labelling to include neuropsychiatric reactions including sleep disturbance, agitation, and mood changes. Inform any German clinician if you take montelukast, particularly if you present with behavioural symptoms. Drug interactions between montelukast and theophylline have been studied; no dose adjustment is required for standard co-administration, but report all current medications to your treating clinician.
Travelling with inhaler devices and liquids
These steps apply whenever you carry inhalers on a flight departing from or arriving into Germany.
Your medication list, ready to share.
Nomedic stores your medication name, INN, dosage, and frequency, readable by any clinician worldwide.
At your destination
Healthcare and prescriptions in Germany
Germany's public healthcare system is the Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung (GKV). EU/EEA and UK travellers with a valid EHIC / GHIC can access medically necessary treatment in the GKV public system at no direct cost. Travellers without EHIC/GHIC cover must use private clinics or pay upfront at public hospitals and claim reimbursement through travel insurance. Private GP visits cost €70–€120 (~$81–$140) and specialist consultations €100–€200 (~$116–$233)[3]. Foreign prescriptions are not directly dispensed at German pharmacies; a German-issued prescription is required for new supplies.
Inhalers (salbutamol, budesonide, fluticasone, combination products) are prescription-only under German law. A German GP or emergency doctor can write a local prescription if you run out or lose your supply. Biologics for severe asthma (omalizumab, mepolizumab, benralizumab) are dispensed exclusively through hospital pharmacies and specialist centres, not retail Apotheken.
Biologic therapies are dispensed via hospital pharmacies
If you receive a biologic and need an emergency supply or administration, go directly to the nearest university hospital (Universitätsklinikum) respiratory department. Bring your Nomedic IPS and specialist letter. Retail pharmacies (Apotheken) cannot dispense biologics.
Finding an asthma specialist
The relevant specialist in Germany is a Pneumologe or Lungenfacharzt (pulmonologist). Pneumologen practise in GKV-registered outpatient clinics (Facharztpraxen) and in hospital respiratory departments (Abteilung für Pneumologie). EHIC holders may attend GKV outpatient specialists directly or via a GP referral; private patients book directly. Use the Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung (KBV) Arztsuche portal or find a specialist via Nomedic before travel and save the address and phone number offline.
Search for providers near your destination
Use Nomedic's provider search to find asthma specialists (Pneumologen) in Germany. Save the address and phone number offline before you travel.
If your inhalers run out or are lost in Germany
Running out of inhalers is manageable in Germany's well-resourced pharmacy network, as long as you obtain a local prescription first. German pharmacies (Apotheken) are widespread in all cities and many towns, identifiable by a large red 'A' sign. Night pharmacies (Nacht-Apotheken) and duty pharmacies (Notdienstapotheke) operate outside normal hours.
Managing pollen and air quality day to day in Germany
Germany's pollen season is one of the most medically significant in Europe. Birch pollen peaks from late March through April; grass and rye pollen extend through June and July[5]. Urban air pollutants in cities such as Berlin chemically alter birch pollen allergens, increasing their potency.
Check the Polleninformationsdienst (pollenstiftung.de) each morning for regional counts. On high-pollen days, limit outdoor activity between 5 am and 10 am when concentrations peak. Germany's indoor spaces, including museums, shopping centres, and S-Bahn carriages, are air-conditioned or filtered in summer and provide reliable low-pollen refuges. Antihistamines are available over the counter (OTC) at German Apotheken under INNs such as cetirizine (e.g. Zyrtec) and loratadine (e.g. Lorano); these do not require a prescription. Before any high-exertion outdoor activity, carry your rescue inhaler.
Thunderstorm asthma is not an ordinary pollen day
During spring and early summer thunderstorms, pollen fragments to sub-pollen particle size and airborne concentrations spike suddenly. Symptoms can escalate faster than in a standard pollen episode. Move indoors immediately when a storm approaches during pollen season and use your rescue inhaler at the first sign of tightening. If symptoms do not resolve within 15 minutes of rescue inhaler use, follow the guidance in the Emergency tab.
German phrases for clinicians
Show your Nomedic IPS first, it removes the need to explain your diagnosis verbally. If verbal communication is needed:
“Ich habe Asthma.”
I have asthma.
“Ich habe einen Asthmaanfall.”
I am having an asthma attack.
“Ich brauche einen Lungenfacharzt.”
I need a pulmonologist.
“Ich nehme Salbutamol und Budesonid.”
I take salbutamol and budesonide.
“Wo ist die nächste Apotheke oder Notaufnahme?”
Where is the nearest pharmacy or emergency department?
“Ich benötige ein Notfallrezept für meinen Inhalator.”
I need an emergency prescription for my inhaler.
Insurance considerations
What to know about travel insurance
An unscheduled asthma consultation at a private clinic in Germany costs €70–€120 (~$81–$140) for a GP and €100–€200 (~$116–$233) for a specialist. Hospital stays for acute exacerbations can run to thousands of euros for travellers without coverage in the GKV public system.
What to look for in a policy
Not just 'pre-existing conditions covered'. Your condition should be named on the policy schedule.
Covers repatriation if local care is insufficient for a severe exacerbation.
Covers emergency replacement if your inhalers are lost, damaged, or delayed.
So someone can communicate with German-speaking clinicians on your behalf.
What to declare at application
Declare thoroughly. Incomplete disclosure can invalidate your entire policy, not just the asthma-related claim.
State whether your asthma is intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent, or severe persistent.
Use the INN (international nonproprietary name) alongside the brand name.
Insurers may load the premium or exclude cover if a hospital admission occurred within the past 12 months.
Declare allergic rhinitis, eczema, GERD, obstructive sleep apnoea, or any other comorbidities.
Your policy number and emergency assistance line, saved alongside your IPS and accessible offline.
An EHIC or GHIC entitles EU/EEA and UK travellers to medically necessary care in Germany's GKV public system on the same basis as German residents, including emergency asthma treatment. It does not cover private clinics, repatriation costs, or replacement of lost medication, so supplementary travel insurance remains essential.
Emergency protocol
When to go to the Notaufnahme (emergency department)
Use your rescue inhaler immediately. If you are not improving after 10 minutes, or if you cannot complete a full sentence, call 112 for an ambulance or go directly to the nearest Notaufnahme. Contact your travel insurer as soon as you are stable; most policies require notification before or immediately after emergency admission.
When you arrive, follow in order
Full clinical picture in seconds, including current inhalers and allergies, no verbal explanation needed.
Hand your phone to the triage nurse:
Ich habe Asthma und brauche sofort Hilfe.
I have asthma and need immediate help.
The original packaging and prescription label confirm your current medications for the treating team.
Tell the clinician how many doses you have already taken and when; this informs the decision on further bronchodilator therapy.
Calls and location
Call 112 for ambulance and fire services, or 110 for police. In Berlin and other large German cities, the nearest Notaufnahme is typically within a 15-minute ambulance response. Save your exact address or share your phone's location when you call.
In hospital
Some anaesthetic agents and beta-blockers interact with bronchodilators and can trigger bronchospasm in asthma patients. Tell every clinician, including anaesthetists, about your current inhalers before any procedure.
After any emergency
Before you leave the hospital if possible.
Required for insurer reimbursement and continuity of care with your home specialist.
Open Nomedic and tap Share to generate a QR code any clinician can scan.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bring my asthma inhalers into Germany without a prescription?
Yes, travellers may bring up to a 90-day personal supply under AMG Section 73[1], but the medication must be in original packaging with a prescription label and accompanied by a doctor's letter in German or English. Standard asthma inhalers are not subject to the German Narcotics Act (BtMG) and require no special import permit.
Do not post inhalers to Germany
Postal import of prescription medications is prohibited; packages may be seized by customs.
Are asthma inhalers available over the counter at German pharmacies?
No. All prescription inhalers, including salbutamol (Ventolin), budesonide (Pulmicort), and combination products such as Symbicort and Seretide, are prescription-only (verschreibungspflichtig) in Germany. You need a German prescription to purchase them at a pharmacy. An on-duty GP or emergency department doctor can issue a same-day prescription if you run out.
What are the emergency numbers in Germany?
Ambulance and fire
112
Police
110
Pan-European emergency
112
How can I communicate my asthma diagnosis in an emergency in Germany?
Show your Nomedic IPS first. If verbal communication is needed:
“Ich habe Asthma und brauche sofort Hilfe.”
I have asthma and need immediate help.
“Ich nehme Salbutamol und Budesonid.”
I take salbutamol and budesonide.
When is birch pollen season in Germany and how does it affect asthma?
Birch pollen peaks from late March through April; grass and rye pollen follow through June and July. Urban air pollutants in German cities chemically alter pollen allergens, compounding the respiratory burden. Thunderstorms during pollen season can trigger sudden-onset severe bronchospasm as pollen fragments to sub-pollen particle size.
Check the Polleninformationsdienst daily
The German Pollen Information Service (pollenstiftung.de) publishes regional daily pollen counts. On high birch or grass days, reduce outdoor activity between 5 am and 10 am when concentrations are highest.
Does the EHIC cover asthma treatment in Germany?
A valid EHIC or GHIC entitles EU/EEA and UK travellers to medically necessary asthma treatment in Germany's GKV public system at no direct cost, including emergency bronchodilator therapy and hospital admission. It does not cover private clinics, repatriation, or replacement of lost medication. Supplementary travel insurance that names asthma explicitly is still essential.
Declare thoroughly
Asthma subtype, current inhalers, last exacerbation, and associated conditions. Incomplete disclosure invalidates the entire policy.
Sources
- [1] German Customs (Zoll) — Medicinal products and narcotics when entering Germany
- [2] German Federal Foreign Office — Medicinal products and narcotics import rules
- [3] Mobidoctor — Healthcare in Germany for travellers and tourists
- [4] EU Gleichbehandlungsstelle — Health insurance for EU citizens in Germany (EHIC rules)
- [5] Umweltbundesamt (Federal Environment Agency) — Birch pollen burdens in Germany
- [6] Umweltbundesamt — Thunderstorm asthma and pollen fragmentation
- [7] Gesund.bund.de — Germany's official public health information portal