After more than a year of Covid-induced home office, staycations, and quarantining, it’s safe to say the travel itch is real. The vaccine rollout is well underway and talk of international travel bans being lifted in the coming months has got us all dusting off those travel plans we put on hold back in 2020. But with the spotlight on Covid and all the new regulations, it will bring to travel, it’s easy to forget that there are still restrictions to consider when traveling with a prescription or over-the-counter medications both domestically and internationally.
Being questioned about your prescription medication at the airport, or worse, having it confiscated is stressful and unpleasant, but with some preparation, you can get to your gate hassle-free and with your medication in hand.
Pay a Visit to Your Doctor
Talk to your doctor before your trip to see if your destination poses any medical risks for you. If you have allergies to particular food or medications, for example, ask your doctor to write a letter explaining your medical condition and required treatment in case you need medical help during your trip.
Research your destination’s environmental conditions beforehand and consider factors like air pollution and humidity that might affect your health during your trip and be sure to discuss these with your doctor. Finally, be sure to check the availability and standards of care at your destination so that you can travel with peace of mind and are well taken care of should any health problems arise during your trip.
Leave Nothing to Chance
Before your flight with prescription medications:
- Leave an emergency contact list and copies of your passport and prescriptions with someone you trust, like a family member or close friend. Make extra copies of these items and keep them in both your carry-on bag and any checked luggage.
- Save the contact information of the US embassy in your destination country on your phone so that you can easily contact them for assistance in case of an emergency.
- Consider wearing a “medical alert” bracelet. These are designed to speak for you when you cannot by alerting EMTs to your conditions.
- Proactively check restrictions regarding prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications in the country you’re traveling to on the State Department’s website.
- Contact the embassy of your destination country to make sure your medications are not considered illegal under their local laws.
Know What to Pack
Only you know exactly what you’ll need for your trip, but we all know that nagging feeling that we’ve forgotten something critical while packing, so here is a thorough checklist from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With this list, you’ll definitely be ready for anything:
- Any prescription medicine that you regularly take
- Special prescriptions for your trip depending on your destination
- Over-the-counter medicines like antidiarrheal medication, antihistamine, decongestant, cough medicine, medicine for fever or pain relievers
- Insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin
- Sunscreen that has both UVA and UVB protection
- Antibacterial hand wipes or alcohol-based hand sanitizer
- Lubricating eye drops
- First aid supplies
- Oral rehydration solution packets
- Your health insurance card
For their complete list visit: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/pack-smart.
Preparing and Packing Your Medication
So how much medication should you bring with you? Enough to last through your whole trip and then some. Plan to bring a little extra in case unforeseen delays crop up or in case of an emergency.
But now imagine your medication is in your checked baggage and your suitcase is lost or delayed. That’s why it is crucial to always pack your medication in your carry-on luggage, especially for international travel. If your medicine needs to be refrigerated, you can place it in an insulated medication bag or travel cooler. Ask your doctor to write a letter explaining your medical condition, the medication you require, and how it needs to be stored so that you won’t have any problems at customs or immigration.
The last tip on packing your medication: Always keep your medication in the original labeled container. These labels often contain information about the medication, as well as to who it is prescribed. If in doubt, ask the airline you’re flying with for their specific recommendations for traveling with medications.
Do the heavy lifting before your trip, so that you can relax, knowing you’re prepared for anything. Nobody hopes for a medical situation while on vacation, but being prepared can relieve stress and prevent the situation from escalating. After this whirlwind of a year, a relaxing vacation is just what we all need!
Additional Resources
- The International Narcotics Control Board https://www.incb.org/incb/en/travellers/index.html
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/
- Transportation Security Administration https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/medical
- Below is an itemized list created by the Transportation Security Administration for items you are allowed to bring on board when traveling internationally.
| DESCRIPTION | CARRY-ON BAGS | CHECKED BAGS | OTHER DETAILS |
| Blood Sugar Test Kit | YES | YES | Please notify the TSA officer that you have diabetes and are carrying your supplies with you. Insulin pumps and supplies must be accompanied by insulin, and insulin in any form or dispenser must be clearly identified. |
| Contact Lens Solution | Yes (Less than 3.4oz/100 ml allowed) | YES | TSA allows larger amounts of medically necessary liquids, gels, and aerosols in reasonable quantities for your trip, but you must declare them to security officers at the checkpoint for inspection. |
| Contact Lens | YES | YES | |
| Eye Drops | Yes (Less than 3.4oz/100 ml allowed) | YES | |
| Inhalers | Yes (Special Instructions) | YES |
TSA allows larger amounts of medically necessary liquids, gels, and aerosols in reasonable quantities for your trip, but you must declare them to TSA officers at the checkpoint for inspection. We recommend, but do not require, that your medications be labeled to facilitate the security process. |
| Insulin | Yes (Special Instructions) | YES | Please notify the TSA officer that you have diabetes and are carrying your supplies with you. Insulin pumps and supplies must be accompanied by insulin, and insulin in any form or dispenser must be clearly identified. |
| Insulin Pumps | Yes (Special Instructions) | YES | Please notify the TSA officer that you have diabetes and are carrying your supplies with you. Insulin pumps and supplies must be accompanied by insulin, and insulin in any form or dispenser must be clearly identified. |
| Liquid Medications/Liquid Vitamins | Yes (Less than 3.4oz/100 ml allowed) | YES | TSA allows larger amounts of medically necessary liquids, gels, and aerosols in reasonable quantities for your trip, but you must declare them to security officers at the checkpoint for inspection. |
| Medications (Pills) | YES | YES | |
| Nitroglycerine Pills | YES | YES | |
| Pill Cutter | YES | YES | |
| Supplements | YES | YES | |
| Unused Syringes | Yes (Special Instructions) | YES | Unused syringes are allowed when accompanied by injectable medication. You must declare these items to security officers at the checkpoint for inspection. We recommend, but do not require, that your medications be labeled to facilitate the security process. |
| Used Syringes | Yes (Special Instructions) | YES | Used syringes are allowed when transported in Sharps disposal container or other similar hard-surface container. |
| Vitamins | YES | YES |