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You’ve all seen the horror stories of travelers caught smuggling drugs abroad. While carrying prescription medication probably won’t land in jail, it could mean a long delay at customs if it’s not immediately obvious that your medication is for personal use and is not illegal. Follow these tips to try to avoid any travel problems that might arise from carrying prescription medication into other countries.

• Keep your medicines in their original packages. Don’t put them into a smaller container to save space. Customs officials might get suspicious if they can’t readily identify what kind of medication you are carrying.
• Pack your medication in your carry on luggage, in case your suitcases don’t make it to your destination at the same time as you do.
• Before you leave on your trip, discuss your plans with your doctor to see if the circumstances might require a change in your medication. Also consider the time zone changes and how you will continue to take the right dose at the right time.
• Carry a copy of the prescription or even a note from your doctor which explains what the medication is and what it is used for, along with information about the dosage.
• Take unfilled prescriptions for your medication in case you need more: while it is not that common, sometimes it will be possible for a foreign pharmacy to fill your prescription.
• If you have medicines that you need to inject, check if it is permitted to bring syringes into the country you are visiting.
• Bring a spare supply for an extra week or so in case your travel plans are disrupted. Ask your doctor to list other brand names or generic names of medications that are important to you and might be difficult to obtain abroad.
• If your medication is unusual or you are traveling to a country where you believe your medication could be a problem, check via your embassy whether or not your medication is in fact legal in the country you are visiting.
• Make sure you bring the contact phone numbers or email addresses for the doctor or pharmacist who has helped you with your medication, in case of emergency.
• Follow all of these tips especially carefully if you are carrying large quantities of medication: if you either are taking a variety of medicines or if you are planning to stay abroad for a long time.

(Photo via flickr cc)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 2nd, 2008 and is filed under Assorted Travel Tips.