Key Takeaways
This article is about Methylphenidate 36 mg
This article explains how people already taking Methylphenidate 36 mg abroad can continue their treatment safely and legally after moving to the Netherlands.
A Dutch prescription is always required
A prescription from another country, such as Mexico, cannot be used directly at a Dutch pharmacy. A Dutch doctor must issue a new prescription before Methylphenidate 36 mg can be dispensed.
Your GP is usually the starting point
Most people begin by registering with a General Practitioner (GP). With a clear letter from the psychiatrist who started the treatment, many GPs are willing to continue prescribing Methylphenidate 36 mg, although some prefer to involve a Dutch psychiatrist first.
Brands are widely available
Long-acting Methylphenidate 36 mg is available in the Netherlands under several names, including Mylan, Xiromed, TEVA, and Concerta. Once a Dutch prescription exists, it can be sent to a pharmacy of your choice, and you can phone in advance to ask whether a specific brand is in stock.
Costs are partly covered by insurance
ADHD medication with methylphenidate is generally reimbursed from the basic health insurance package. Branded options such as Concerta often include a capped personal contribution, which can reach around 250 euros per year before further costs are taken over by the insurer.
Controlled-medicine rules shape the process
Methylphenidate is treated as a controlled substance in the Netherlands. Only licensed Dutch doctors can prescribe it, and pharmacies follow strict procedures when dispensing it. A detailed letter in English from your current psychiatrist helps doctors assess whether and how to continue your existing regimen.
Story & Details
Arriving with an established ADHD treatment
Imagine arriving in the Netherlands with life already running on the steady rhythm of Methylphenidate 36 mg. Concentration has improved, routines are in place, and the current dose works. The question comes quickly: can the existing prescription from Mexico simply be presented at a Dutch pharmacy?
The reality is more formal. Dutch pharmacies must work with prescriptions written by doctors who are authorised to practise in the Netherlands. Foreign prescriptions, even when clinically sound, serve as medical background rather than documents that can be used to supply a controlled medicine.
Why a new prescription is needed
Methylphenidate is subject to strict drug-control legislation in the Netherlands. That framework governs who may prescribe it, how it is dispensed, and how it may be carried across borders. For ongoing treatment inside the country, the prescriber must be a Dutch GP or psychiatrist. A foreign prescription shows what has been tried and what works, but it cannot replace a local prescription.
In practice, the first step for someone who has just moved is to register with a nearby GP. During the first consultation, bringing a thorough letter from the original psychiatrist makes a real difference. That letter ideally states the ADHD diagnosis, the current Methylphenidate 36 mg dose, the duration of treatment, previous medications, and any relevant side effects or comorbid conditions.
How Dutch GPs and psychiatrists handle continuity
Responses among GPs vary. Some are comfortable continuing an established ADHD treatment when they receive a clear and recent psychiatric letter and when the clinical course looks stable. Others are more cautious because methylphenidate is controlled, because they did not supervise the original work-up, or because practice policy asks for a Dutch specialist’s confirmation.
Several outcomes are common:
- A GP may agree to continue prescribing Methylphenidate 36 mg in the same dose, with periodic reviews.
- The GP may prescribe for a short bridging period while arranging a referral to a psychiatrist for a more detailed assessment.
- The GP may prefer not to prescribe at all and instead refer the patient directly to a Dutch psychiatrist or mental-health service.
Alongside the regular route through insured care, some independent psychiatrists offer brief online consultations specifically for people who are already on a stable dose of methylphenidate. In one example, an interview plus prescription was quoted at 160 euros, to be paid privately and not reimbursed by insurance, while consultations with the GP were covered. For anyone considering this path, it is wise to confirm fees and what is included before booking.
What happens at the pharmacy
Once a Dutch doctor has decided to prescribe, attention turns to brands and supply. In the Netherlands, Methylphenidate 36 mg appears in several formulations. Pharmacists may dispense generic prolonged-release tablets from companies such as Mylan, Xiromed, or TEVA, or they may supply branded extended-release products like Concerta.
The prescription is usually sent electronically to a pharmacy selected by the patient. For those living in or near cities such as Amsterdam or towns like Zwanenburg, most local community pharmacies can either supply Methylphenidate 36 mg from stock or order it quickly. Because availability of particular brands can vary from one location to another, calling the pharmacy before collecting the medicine helps avoid surprises. The pharmacy team can check which products are available, whether a generic will be substituted, and if any brand must be specially ordered.
Insurance, contributions, and annual caps
Dutch basic health insurance covers many prescription medicines, including standard ADHD treatments based on methylphenidate. The details become more nuanced with long-acting or branded versions such as Concerta. Those products are often subject to a regulated personal contribution. National rules limit this contribution for prescription medicines to a maximum amount per calendar year, frequently cited as 250 euros. Once this ceiling is reached for eligible medicines, further costs for those products are generally covered.
The result is a mixed picture. Someone using Methylphenidate 36 mg in a generic form may see little or no extra charge beyond the standard deductible that applies to much Dutch healthcare. Someone dependent on a specific branded product may pay part of the price personally until the personal-contribution cap is reached. Supplementary insurance policies sometimes provide additional cover for these contributions, so reading the small print of the policy or contacting the insurer directly is useful.
Living with a controlled ADHD medicine in a new system
Because methylphenidate is a controlled substance, its path through the healthcare system is more closely tracked than that of many other medicines. Pharmacies may ask patients to use one main branch consistently, may dispense smaller quantities at a time, and may require photo identification at collection. These measures support safe use and reduce the risk of the medicine being misdirected or misused.
Travel adds another layer. People who need to carry Methylphenidate 36 mg when crossing borders often require official documentation that confirms it is prescribed for personal medical use. For travel to and from the Netherlands, that paperwork is usually based on a valid Dutch prescription, underscoring once again how important it is to arrange local follow-up promptly after a move.
Conclusions
A structured handover, not a fresh start
For someone already well adjusted to Methylphenidate 36 mg, relocating to the Netherlands does not erase the progress that has been made. It does, however, require a structured handover into a new legal and medical environment. The existing prescription and psychiatric letter form the backbone of that handover, guiding Dutch doctors as they decide how to continue care.
Working with Dutch rules for long-term stability
Success depends on cooperation between patient, GP, psychiatrist, and pharmacist. A Dutch prescription is the gateway to treatment, GPs and psychiatrists shape how it is used, and pharmacies supply the actual medicine while respecting controlled-drug rules. Insurance cushions much of the financial burden, even when certain long-acting products carry a capped contribution. With clear documentation and realistic expectations, continuing Methylphenidate 36 mg in the Netherlands becomes less a struggle and more a careful, manageable transition.
Sources
Government information on what to arrange when moving to the Netherlands, including how to find and register with a GP, is available here:
https://www.government.nl/topics/immigration-to-the-netherlands/question-and-answer/what-do-i-need-to-arrange-if-i%E2%80%99m-moving-to-the-netherlands
Guidance on travelling with medicines subject to drug-control rules, including ADHD medication containing methylphenidate, can be found on the Netherlands Worldwide portal:
https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/travelling-with-medicines
Details of which medicines are reimbursed, how personal contributions work, and how national caps on these contributions are applied are explained (in Dutch) on the official medicine-costs platform:
https://www.medicijnkosten.nl/
Consumer-focused explanations of reimbursement for ADHD medicines, including the way contributions apply to long-acting methylphenidate products such as Concerta, are provided by the Dutch Consumers’ Association:
https://www.consumentenbond.nl/zorgverzekering/vergoedingen/adhd-medicijnen
Practical information on finding and using community pharmacies across the Netherlands, including address details and opening hours, can be searched on the national pharmacy site:
https://www.apotheek.nl/vind-een-apotheek
For a clear, practical explanation of how stimulant medicines such as methylphenidate work in ADHD, this educational video provides an accessible overview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpwaFfV_Rkg
Appendix
Concerta
A branded, prolonged-release form of methylphenidate used to treat ADHD. It delivers the active substance gradually over the day and, in the Netherlands, typically involves a regulated personal contribution on top of basic insurance reimbursement.
General practitioner (GP)
A community-based doctor who provides first-line medical care, coordinates referrals to specialists, and often manages long-term conditions such as ADHD once diagnosis and initial treatment have been established.
Methylphenidate
A central nervous system stimulant commonly prescribed for ADHD. It increases the activity of certain brain chemicals involved in attention and impulse control and is available in short-acting and long-acting formulations, including 36 mg prolonged-release tablets.
Opium Act
The main Dutch law governing controlled substances, including certain prescription medicines such as methylphenidate. It sets out rules for prescribing, dispensing, storage, and transport of these substances, both within the country and when crossing borders.
Pharmacy
A licensed healthcare provider that dispenses prescription medicines, offers advice on their safe use, and maintains records for controlled drugs. In the Netherlands, patients are normally registered with a preferred local pharmacy that handles most of their prescriptions.
Psychiatrist
A medical specialist in mental health who can diagnose disorders such as ADHD, prescribe medications including controlled substances, and provide or coordinate psychological and pharmacological treatment plans.
Prescription
A formal instruction issued by a licensed doctor that authorises a pharmacy to dispense a specific medicine in a defined strength, dose, and quantity. For methylphenidate in the Netherlands, this document must be written by a Dutch prescriber to be valid at a Dutch pharmacy.
Reimbursement
The way health insurance pays for part or all of the cost of medicines and other services. In the Dutch system, reimbursement for ADHD medicines can combine full coverage for some products with capped personal contributions for others, within the limits set by national rules.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 