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Forget your allergy medication at home, and in Bangkok or Mexico City you can usually just walk into a pharmacy and buy it — no prescription, no fuss. Try the same thing in Tokyo or Singapore, and you may find the exact drug isn't sold at all, or needs paperwork you don't have. The gap between "easy OTC access" and "standard Western rules" is bigger than most travelers assume, and it runs in both directions — sometimes in your favor, sometimes not. A quick check before you go tells you whether to relax about a forgotten prescription or pack extra just in case.