Medicine Abroad: How To Pack For Your Trip
Medicine Abroad: How To Pack For Your Trip
Do you take prescription medicine? Are you traveling overseas? If so, you’ve come across the right resource. In this guide, you’ll discover what to do with your medicine abroad!
Prescription Medicine Abroad
If you take medicine routinely, it is important to see your doctor prior to travel in order to discuss your health and medication needs overseas. When you go to your doctor to see what kinds of shots you may need. Also, discuss your medication if need be.
Caution With Medicine Abroad
Did you know that some medicines common to Americans that help with pain, allergies or even the common cold are illegal in some countries? Many countries ban common cold medicines, narcotics, amphetamines, and sedatives. Even if you meet with your doctor, get extensive paperwork from them, you still won’t be able to bring certain types of medicine in your host country.
Bringing illegal medication to your host country could result in confiscation, deportation, jail time, and even the death penalty. And while this may be rare, it does happen. You don’t want to find yourself on the other side of the law.
So what do you do if you need your medicine overseas?
Plan Ahead
You don’t want to find yourself in an awkward situation where you need to leave to go to your host country in a week or two, but don’t have enough medication to last you overseas. It is so important to speak with your doctor, pharmacist and travel health insurance company at least six weeks prior to your departure from the United States. That way if you can’t take your medication overseas you will have enough time to consider alternatives. You can work out any options with your trusted medical providers and they can monitor you if any changes need to be made. Make sure to check the State Department’s list of foreign embassies in the United States and their contact information to determine what is legal and what additional documentation you may need (ie. doctor’s letter; original prescription).
Please note that it’s generally illegal to mail your medication. So you need to work with your doctor, pharmacist, and/or insurance company to ensure that you will have enough overseas. If need be, you should also bring a letter from your doctor that lists the generic name of your medication so that a local physician will be more quickly able to identify its equivalent.
More Information
For more information about how to travel with medicine abroad, visit:
The Center For Disease Control And Prevention website
The U.S. State Department’s web page on health
Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA’s) website
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