Taking medication to Europe

[Alastair]

Taking medication to Europe.

Patients taking medication to Europe are recommended to carry it in their hand luggage. Also to have a letter from their doctor that says they are authorised to do so.

A good idea is to take a spare prescription with you should you lose your original medication, or it gets lost in luggage.

It is not a good idea to take "Social Drugs" to Europe (and I'm sure nobody does) the European scene is now sniffer dogs at customs and extremely serious penalties for people who do this.

[Alastair]

Packing a second set of meds/prescriptions in your checked bags sounds like a good idea, however, luggage traveling in the USA or international from the USA can't be locked with anything other than TSA approved and accessible locks. TSA isn't the only entity having access to your luggage. Contract baggage handlers and other airline personnel also have access to your unlocked luggage. I can't comment on anything outside the US - protocol may be different.

It may not be practical for everyone, but my suggestion is to carry valuables (passports, money, prescriptions, jewelry, etc.) in a fanny pack on your person, and a regular carry-on for anything else you want on the aircraft. The only time you would have to take the fanny pack off is during screening - TSA is much better now about keeping traveler's belongings close to them. If your carry-on needs to go in an overhead compartment, it may not always be directly above or near your seat. When I flew to Germany for surgery, my carry-on flew first class and I flew coach!

This posting was put on the general subject by a member who is a police officer in the USA and I feel is valuable addition to this subject


Part of my jurisdiction is an international airport, and I take a fair amount of theft reports for valuable items taken from checked luggage, including prescriptions (even meds you wouldn't think would be stolen). Not trying to scare anyone, just giving you food for thought from someone who deals with the fallout when items are stolen or missing.