Is it possible to order a medicine on the market in UK from
Switzerland Austria or Germany, using the Internet? If it is not
possible through the Internet, is there any other legal way to get the
medication, without travellign to the UK? The product is Zydol XL or
Dromadol XL. The only place where I know this medication is sold in
the world is in the UK. They are POM medicines (prescription only
medicines). I think that one possibility is travelling to the UK, and
if a doctor prescribe it, I will be able to buy them. But, is there
any other legal way to get it from Switzerland/Austria/Germany, which
are the most probable places where I will be in the near/medium term
future?
Tom

Hello Tom, 

I posted a comment, because I did not feel that the information I was
providing was sufficient to count as an answer.  However, since you
have indicated you wish me to post an answer, I will do so.  I will
leave the comment as it stands without repeating it here, because I
have also found some additional information about Germany.

It seems that German Customs can get very heavy about medicines, but
that you would be able to obtain medicines from another EU Member
State provided you physically imported them yourself, or they were
mailed to you by a ***private individual*** and not by a pharmacy. 
Also, you would be able to import a small quantity of an unlicensed
medicine for your own use by getting a German drugstore to order it
for you:
“Of course, the strict regulations of the German Medicines Act must
also be met by medicines imported into Germany from other countries.
That is why the importation of medicines is especially controlled.
This control is part of the duties performed by German Customs…. On
entry of medicines, Customs especially checks
whether the medicine is licensed 
whether the importation of this medicine is permitted (so-called
import permit)
whether the medicine is labelled according to the provisions of the
AMG (Medicines Act) and
whether a package insert in German language is provided.
In case of any doubts as to the permissibility of the importation of
medicine the competent medicine control authorities shall be
consulted. Medicine which is prohibited entry shall be either
destroyed or must be re- exported.”
From the web site of German Customs.  
http://www.zoll-d.de/english_version/b0_passenger_traffic/e0_vub/g0_medicines/index.html
Furthermore:
“the private importation of medicines without permission is generally
prohibited… The importation of medicines by private individuals by
mail is generally prohibited. However, it is possible to import
unlicensed medicines in small quantities as ordered by single
individuals and within the framework of normal drugstore operation. 
In such cases the order must be made by the drugstore authorised by
the consignee. This drugstore would also have to declare the goods to
Customs…”
HOWEVER
“Medicines purchased by a private individual for personal needs in a
drugstore of another Member State of the European Community may be
brought into Germany in passenger traffic. This analogously applies to
medicines sent by mail by private individuals. According to currently
applicable laws, the delivery of medicines by drugstores (by mail)
which were ordered by final users - e.g. via the internet (internet
drugstores) is not permitted.”
From German Customs information about private imports of medicines
http://www.zoll-d.de/english_version/b0_passenger_traffic/e0_vub/g0_medicines/priv_imports/index.html

Further enquiries about specific situations should be addressed to:
Federal Institute for Drugs
and Medical Devices
Kurt-Georg-Kiesinger-Allee 3
53175 Bonn, Germany
Phone: +49 (0)228 207 30 / +49 1888 307 0
FAX: +49 (0)228 207 5207 /+49 1888 307 5207
e-mail: poststelle@bfarm.de
“We would kindly ask you to include your complete postal address as
well as your phone or fax number in your e-mail should you require a
response to your e-mail.”

I’ve tried to find equivalent information from Austrian and Swiss
customs, but drew a blank.  :(

My search strategy for the question as a whole was: import medicines
“personal use” <country name>   followed by a second search on
<country name> medicines import customs
I already had some knowledge about the situation of products without
marketing authorization having coincidentally had to translate
recently some official documents from two European countries that deal
with this very topic.

Amazing! Thank you very much for the useful info.
Regards,
Tom

You could try contacting IVAX:
4400 Biscayne Blvd.
Miami, FL 33137 
Phone:  	(305) 575-6000

Thank you jackburton-ga! However, I need to order it from Europe.
Kind regards,
Tom

Hello Tom, 

In most cases, special procedures have to be followed to import a
medication into a country where it has not yet received a marketing
authorization. Often these will only apply to medicines undergoing
clinical trials or products of vital importance in life-threatening
diseases.

There is a web site where you can check the policies of individual
countries on the import of medicines for personal use at
http://www.emedsdirect.com/policies/Import.asp

For example, the entry for Switzerland has:
Does not require a prescription classification
Import of prescription drugs is subject to approval of Health
Ministry.
Pharmacists, hospitals and labs recognized by the state can import
medicines in small amounts without obtaining a license.

Austria:
Requires a prescription classification
Medicines intended for personal use are permitted only under an import
license.
Product should be shipped consigned to a drugstore. 

and Germany:
Does not require a prescription classification
Import license from local health ministry is required.
Importation of medicines requires special authorization by German
authorities.
Product should be shipped consigned to a drugstore.
Hospital pharmacies can import medicines in small amounts without
obtaining an import license.

What I have not been able to find out is how an individual deals with
these regulations.  I grew up in the Polish immigrant community in the
UK and know that there used to be a company which specialized in
helping people to send medications to their relatives in Poland and
handled all the legal aspects.  However, I'm afraid I have not been
able to find a general company of this sort.

I did notice that a sustained release tramadol preparation is
available under the name Zamadol Retard.  This was licensed in Belgium
in 2000 http://www.afigp.fgov.be/NL%20home/archief/regislijsten/nieuwe%20registraties/nieuwe%20registraties%20tussen%201-6-00%20en%2031-8-00.pdf
and seems to be available also in Sweden
http://dok.mpa.se/dok/humspc/zamadol%20prolonged-release%20capsules.pdf
If it is not available in one of the three countries you mention,
Belgium is certainly more reachable than the UK from Germany, so it
might be worth considering the possibility of registering with a
Belgian doctor.

Hi tehuti-ga :
Thank you for your research. It is of use to me. But you have not post
it as an answer. Please, put it as an answer in order you could
receive the payment.
Kind regards,
Tom