Is Pregabalin legal in Egypt?
- Legal status
- Pregabalin is a controlled narcotic-scheduled medicine in Egypt — added to paragraph (D) of Schedule No. 3 of the Anti-Narcotics Law No. 182 of 1960 by Ministry of Health Decree No. 475 of 2019 (in force August 2019) after a severe abuse crisis in which pregabalin ranks among the most-misused substances; gabapentin was not scheduled alongside it.
- Consequences if caught
- Handling pregabalin outside the controlled framework is penalised under Law 182/1960; large-scale trafficking of scheduled substances carries severe penalties, and undocumented traveller imports have led to arrest.
- If prescribed or medical
- Dispensed only against an authorised physician's prescription, which the pharmacy retains for inspection by the Ministry of Health.
- Documentation
- Personal-use import requires a prescription or authorisation; the 1960 law applies equally to foreigners — carry documentation and keep pregabalin in original packaging.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Egypt’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.
Before you travel
Verify current rules with the destination country’s official drug authority and your own country’s embassy before traveling. Find the destination’s U.S. embassy & official country guidance →
Non-U.S. travelers: check your own government’s travel advisory and embassy.
If you’re detained or arrested abroad
Contact your own country’s embassy or consulate in the destination immediately — not the destination’s authorities. U.S. citizens: contact the nearest U.S. embassy/consulate and the U.S. State Department at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad). If a U.S. citizen is arrested or detained abroad →