A well-prepared home medicine kit can save you pointless trips to the pharmacy and sometimes from genuinely dangerous situations. Here is what it should contain and how to maintain it properly in 2026.
Basic principles
A first aid kit is NOT a complete pharmacy — its aim is to cover common emergencies in the first few hours until you get to a doctor. The list can be adapted to the ages in the family, chronic illnesses, pets and specific risks (sport, gardening, travel).
Painkillers and fever reducers
- Paracetamol 500 mg tablets for adults (20 tablets).
- Paracetamol syrup for children — Panadol Baby, Nurofen (ibuprofen), dosed per kilogram.
- Ibuprofen 400 mg (20 tablets) for adults — muscle pain and inflammation.
- Paracetamol suppositories — useful for children who are vomiting.
Full details in the comparative guide to painkillers.
Digestive problems
- Smecta (diosmectite) — sachets for diarrhoea. Safe even for children from 2 years. 3-4 sachets a day, for 2-3 days.
- Enterol 250 mg — a probiotic (S. boulardii) for acute diarrhoea. It can shorten it by 1-2 days.
- Oral rehydration solution (ORS) — Hidrasec, Humana electrolyte. Essential for children with diarrhoea or vomiting.
- An antiemetic — metoclopramide (Reglan) or ondansetron (Zofran) — generally prescription-only, but useful for adults with acute nausea.
- An antispasmodic — No-Spa (drotaverine), for abdominal cramps.
- An antacid — Maalox, Rennie, Dicarbocalm — for occasional heartburn.
- Loperamide — Imodium, for non-infectious diarrhoea (NOT for diarrhoea with fever or blood).
Colds and coughs
- Sinomarin spray / saline solution — clears the nose, useful for children and adults.
- Decongestant drops — xylometazoline (Otrivin, Nasic), for at most 5 days. NOT for young children without a paediatric formulation.
- Cough syrup — bromhexine, ambroxol (mucolytics); dextromethorphan (cough suppressant). Do NOT combine the two types.
- Throat lozenges — Strepsils, Hexoral, Faringosept.
- Combination cold and flu remedies — Theraflu, Coldrex (paracetamol + pseudoephedrine + vitamin C). Beware of doubled doses if you add paracetamol separately.
Allergies
- An oral antihistamine — loratadine or cetirizine (10 mg) — for acute allergies.
- A local antihistamine cream — Fenistil gel, for insect bites and irritation.
- Hydrocortisone cream 0.5-1% — for local allergic irritation.
- EpiPen / Adrenaclick (if there is a known severe allergy) — prescription-only, kept at room temperature, with the expiry date checked.
Cuts and wounds
- 3% hydrogen peroxide — for cleaning wounds.
- A disinfectant — Betadine (povidone-iodine) or chlorhexidine (Braunol).
- Sterile saline solution — for rinsing wounds and eyes.
- Adhesive plasters — various sizes.
- Sterile compresses, bandages, adhesive tape.
- A healing ointment — Dermazin (silver sulfadiazine), Bepanthen Plus (with an antiseptic).
- A burn cream — Nebacetin, Bepanthen, aloe vera gel.
Instruments
- A digital thermometer — essential for families with children.
- A blood pressure monitor for adults who monitor their blood pressure.
- A pulse oximeter — useful for monitoring COVID, bronchitis, asthma.
- Tweezers for removing a splinter or a tick.
- Medical scissors.
- Disposable gloves.
Useful vitamins and supplements
- Vitamin C effervescent — 500-1000 mg for immunity during a cold.
- Vitamin D3 1000-2000 IU — daily in the cold season for the whole family.
- Zinc 15 mg — useful in an acute cold, in the first 24 hours.
- A multi-strain probiotic — useful at the start of some antibiotic courses.
Specifically for children
- Paracetamol syrup (Panadol Baby) and ibuprofen syrup (Nurofen for Children).
- Paracetamol suppositories in different doses by age.
- Paediatric seawater nasal drops.
- Sweet-flavoured Smecta, so children will take it.
- A nappy rash cream (Bepanthen, Sudocrem).
- A digital rectal thermometer for infants.
Maintenance — quarterly checks
- Check the expiry dates of all products.
- Throw away anything expired or discoloured.
- Restock whatever has run out.
- Keep an up-to-date list with the phone numbers of your family doctor, paediatrician, emergency services and the nearest 24/7 pharmacy.
- The kit must be kept in a dry, cool place, out of direct light and out of the reach of young children (ideally a lockable cupboard).
Useful numbers to save in your phone
- 112 — general emergencies (ambulance, fire brigade, police).
- The emergency department of the nearest hospital.
- The paediatrician — for families with children.
- The local 24/7 pharmacy — find it on the HartaFarmacii map.
- The poisons information centre — for accidental ingestion by children.
Things to avoid in the kit
- “Spare” antibiotics — never take an antibiotic without a medical diagnosis.
- Prescription medicines for someone else.
- Expired medicines that are “still fine” — effectiveness falls and some break down into toxic compounds.
- Medicines not in their original packaging (you lose the leaflet, the expiry date and the batch number).
A travel kit — the compact version
For holidays and trips, a reduced version in your hand luggage includes:
- Paracetamol + ibuprofen (a small blister, at most 10 tablets of each).
- Loperamide (Imodium) — for traveller's diarrhoea.
- Smecta — 5 sachets.
- An oral antihistamine — 5 tablets.
- Plasters + disinfectant (wipes).
- SPF 50+ cream (in season).
- Mosquito repellent spray (30% DEET).
- Your personal long-term medication + a copy of the prescription for customs.
- Rehydration tablets (Hidrasec, Humana).
For tropical travel, add: rehydration salts, a specific antibiotic (azithromycin from a travel medicine doctor), an antimalarial (if the area requires it).
What NOT to include in a family kit
- Expired medicines — take them to the collection point at the pharmacy (free of charge).
- Opioids and benzodiazepines without an active indication.
- Partly used antibiotics from previous treatments.
- Medicines prescribed to another family member, without an indication for the current user.
- “Spare” sedatives — a risk of misuse, dependence and accidents.
Conclusion
A well-prepared kit costs 200-400 RON at first, then 50-100 RON a year for restocking. The investment pays for itself with the first avoided trip to the 24/7 pharmacy at 3 in the morning. Adapt the list to your family's needs and check it every quarter. Compare prices on HartaFarmacii for extra savings.
Frequently asked questions
- Which medicines must I have at home?
- At a minimum: paracetamol for adults and children, ibuprofen, an antihistamine (loratadine or cetirizine), Smecta, saline nasal solution, a disinfectant, plasters and a thermometer. In families with chronic illnesses, add the specific long-term medication.
- How long can I keep an opened medicine?
- Syrups and suspensions — 14-30 days after opening. Eye drops — 28 days. Tablets in blister packs — until the expiry date on the pack. Creams and ointments — 6-12 months after opening.
- Can I keep spare antibiotics in the first aid kit?
- NO. Antibiotics are taken only on prescription, for a specific diagnosis, at the correct dose and for the correct length of time. Random use creates bacterial resistance and can mask the real diagnosis.
- How often should I check the first aid kit?
- Every quarter — check the expiry dates, restock what is missing and throw away anything expired or discoloured. Keep an up-to-date list of useful numbers — family doctor, paediatrician, the 24/7 pharmacy in your neighbourhood.
- Where can I find the best prices for the kit?
- Buy the economical quantities (20-30 tablets vs 10), compare prices on HartaFarmacii and choose generics where possible. For a complete kit, the difference between chains can be 80-150 RON.