Travel Tips

Travel Tip: Traveling Overseas With Prescription Medication

Image Credit: Jaroslav A. Polák

Image Credit: Jaroslav A. Polák

Image Credit: Jaroslav A. Polák

Are you thinking of traveling overseas? Do you regularly use prescription medications?

Here’s some basic advice: Keep your medications in two separate packages or plastic bottles and separate them between bags.

Also, never pack them in checked bags—always in your carry-on bags.

Make sure you bring enough to not only last the trip but an additional week.

Why? You never know what might happen to extend your trip or delay your return.

Always ask your doctor or pharmacy to provide a letter explaining what the medications are and why you are taking them.

Ask them to identify the drugs not only by their brand name, but by their generic name.

That way, they are easily recognizable overseas and you aren’t unnecessarily detained by some overzealous customs agent.

If you’re on long term medication such as insulin or you have a medical condition and specific treatment wishes, get a medical alert bracelet or alert tag and wear it at all times.

Make sure that tag also contains the number of an emergency contact person.

For more information about travel and health, check out:

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