IESS and public hospitals
Because of financial problems and poor management, IESS and public hospitals do not carry all medicines that their patients need. If you use an IESS or public hospital, you should keep in mind that you may need to buy your medications at a (private) pharmacy.
Pharmacies
Pharmacies are one of the most popular businesses to start in Ecuador. They are all over the place and easy to find. They offer almost all medicines but not always your favorite brand. In that case they usually carry a generic alternative. Most medications are available without a presciption, except for antipsychotics. To know whether a medicine is available you can look for the medicine on the website of Fybeca, one of the largest chains of pharmacies in Ecuador.