Prescription Medicines and Customs
 

I have been told that I should keep all prescription drugs in their original containers while going through customs in Europe. Is this practice enforced? I always put medications in tiny stackable containers while traveling in the US, and have never been questioned. Please advise.
Thanks

It's good to have them in their original containers in case you get checked. I've never been checked so far but one never knows.

I keep hauling my meds in original containers, and each time I vow never to bother with it again since I have never been questioned, etc. "They say" it is important to do, however. I'll be curious if anyone responds has ever actually needed to take this precaution.

Keep them in their original container..You never know, you may find a picky custom agent that goes by the book..
I never had any problems..But you know is better be safe than worry..

A compromise might be to use your containers but take the labels from the original containers with you. Chances are you will not be checked anyway, I've never been.

The first time I went I brought multiple containers as I was a novice. The second time we travelled I put all in one container and brought prescriptions with should customs inquire. Because of my illness I also have a Medical ID bracelet, thus all would be consistent. I like the one container (also in zip lock baggies) and the paper prescription route as it takes the least amount of room and weight. We really pack light.

Hope this helps.

We always carry them in their orignial containers. But we are a bit of a special case. My husband has a food allergy which requires him to carry an EPI pen shot. A couple of times they have seen the shots in our carry on and asked us to pull them out. So we pull out the gallon baggie that has all our medicines in it. Once they see its an EPI pen, they say are okay with it. For us, I think I like the security of having the prescription packaging just so we don't have to worry about it.

Squeaky- I have also wondered about this. I also consolidate. No luck pealing those labels off the pill container. I guess I should keep all that stuff stapeled to the pharmacy bag & throw it in my travel drawer.

Kismet... picky custom agent that goes by the book. What is written in what book?

Oh, who cares???? You don't even need a prescription for anitbotics in Spain, for example. I always carry over-the-counter medication with me, mixed with prescription medicine. I have travelled all over the world and have never been questioned. How are officials supposed to know if your allegery medication is off of the shelf or prescribed by a doctor??????????? You can even buy Prevacid at the grocer's these days. Stop worrying.

I think I'll try TG's advice next time.

I take my prescription drugs with me in the original bottle; I tried asking the pharmacy to give me copies of the prescriptions, but no dice. Having the bottles with the label information is very useful if you accidentally spill needed drugs--some can be refilled at European pharmacies without a problem.

Squeaky:

There's a prior question: when was the last time anyone was stopped at European Customs anyway?

I go through European customs channels dozens of times a year. It's at least ten years since anyone stopped me. And they've always been a lot more interested in what was on my videotapes, or whether credit card receipts showed heavyweight shopping in New York or Hong Kong than what was in my sponge bag.

If you and the flight you're on match Customs' profile for suspected drugs smuggling, they'll inspect the pills in prescription bottles just like any other pills. If you're on prescription drugs they really worry about (like methadone) you need more than original containers to placate them. (www.hmce.gov.uk has a set of pretty typical European Customs notices, though other cuntries will interpret rules differently).

While the onus of proof doesn't always quite work in Customs matters the way Magna Carta is supposed to say it should, Customs have better things to worry about than the bottle you keep your statins in.

Put your drugs where you want. But carry a copy of your prescription or whatever if you're worried (In the UK, my doctor routinely gives me a printout of the drugs I'm prescribed, though I really don't see the point), and if you're on something exotic, be sure to read the relevant notice on the UK Customs site.

I would only be concerned if your medication involved narcotics or similar drugs.

To: Thingorgus, re: your comment "Oh, who cares"; Folk who ask this question are perhaps concerned about having their meds confiscated. Not all meds are easily replaced and some of us have life threatening conditions and are dependent on them. Your response seems to indicate that you fortunately are not one who battles with this type of a situation; count yourself blessed and consider walking in anothers shoes before you answer off the cuff next time.

DAJ:

Thingorjus is absolutely right

Who do you know, have heard of, of even heard an urban myth about, who has ever had prescription drugs confiscated for being in the "wrong" bottle?

And just how many places in Europe have you ever been to that weren't stacked with pharmacies?

Whatever condition our health is in, life is too short to fritter away on pointless worries.

The "original bottle" stuff is simple claptrap. Organising your life around it it insane.

Are you daft??? The customs officials are going to confiscated your medication that you need to sustain your life? "Oh, please, guv, don't take my insulin. I'll die without it...please...please.....<gasp>....ple...&qu ot; Where do you think you are going, into deepest Afghanistan? As a European, I am highly insulted. We do not take medicine from invalids. You are horribly unsophisticated, DAJ. I think that if European customs officials were taking people's heart medication away, it would make the front page of the New York Times. Blimey.

I tend to agree with Flanneruk. If you somehow fit a "profile" they may spend extra time searching you; otherwise, they barely check anything.

Coming back to the US through CDG was interesting...they were taking the baggage check very seriously. Any man traveling alone was having his stuff pawed through big time. We came along - Mom, Dad, 3 kids - and they didn't even touch our bags.

One time my husband hadn't shaved for about 5 days and he got a lot more scrutiny than the clean shaven men.

The point isn't that Customs would gratuitously take away needed medications, it's that they could suspect you of bringing in illegal substances if they don't know what it is you're carrying. This doesn't happen very often, but if you fit the profile you never know. I do know people who've been questioned about (legal) tablets they're carrying.

That said, I always transfer my pills to small containers and I've never had problems. And I've always wondered -- unless a container is sealed, what's to stop someone from putting illegal drugs into a prescription bottle?

..2 COMMENTS..ANYONE WITH SYRINGES AND NEEDLES BE SURE YOU HAVE THE MEDICINE WITH A VERY LEGIBLE LABEL..SECONDLY ALWAYS CARRY A LIST OF THE MEDS YOU ARE ON AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU LIST THE GENERIC AND NOT BRAND NAME..IF YOU LOOSE YOUR MEDS OR END UP SICK OR INJURED IN A HOSPITAL THIS INFO CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE..ALSO IF YOU HAVE A HEART CONDITION GET A COPY OF YOUR EKG FROM YOUR MD TO TAKE WITH YOU...

I gotta go lie down.

Hey, guys--it's not just European customs that take a hard look at pills; the U.D. customs folks can be very, very tough.

Before traveling I always have my pharmacist put the appropriate number of pills in the smallest container possible with a label on it. Then he puts the rest in another bottle. Much better than those containers that could hold about a thousand pills to put in a few weeks supply worth.

This just in from the U.S. Customs website:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/le...rom_source.xml

"Medicine:

If you're traveling with prescription medicine, carry them in their original containers and bring a copy of your prescription.

If you buy medications abroad, be aware that they may not be FDA-approved or allowed into the United States."

I travel with prescription medication all the time and one happens to be a controlled substance. No one has ever stopped me or questioned my need. I do not follow the rule above but I don't recommend ignoring it. I travel with lovely antique pill boxes that always go in my carry-on and they have been hand checked. Nobody has ever questioned one pill.

As for ThinG, sounds like someone's husband can use a Viagra. :S-

My bad, my reference was a typo to Thin G. I typed TJ, sorry. But I think you knew who I was referring to if you've been around this forum for any period of time.

Personally, I think ThinG is harmless. In the beginning I thought she was a "daft" pre-op transsexual (not that there's anything wrong with that) but now that I've lived with her on this forum for six months, I've come to adore her. I have a feeling she's an absolute delight in-person. Plus, she worked with Todd Oldham and I can't imagine Todd not surrounding himself with fabulous people. And, yes, I know she's a he (I think).

Squeaky, personally I wouldn't worry about it but there is always a but :).
Greece and Codeine www.greeka.com/greece-health.htm
I won't want to have a baggy or plastic container with Codeine pills in it while in Greece :).
Regards, Walter

This is a perfect example as to why I refer to many of you on this forum as "daft."

1. I am a man, not a woman. I have never written on this forum that I am anything other than a man. Many of you assume I am a woman because I mention my husband, Keith. We are a gay couple.

2. I have never mentioned being a pre-op transexual. Where you got that one from (your daily pint of gin, perhaps)I will never understand.

3. As an Englishman, I am sick to death of the arrogance of many Americans on this forum who assume that Europe is a third-world continent. (Should we bring our own toilet paper to Italy with us?) There are W. Virginia coal miners with more sophistication than some of you.

4. Yes, Rosemary, I am obnoxious. But, I am only obnoxious when I deal with idiots.

Please...meant no offense, Thin. I realize I crossed the line of familiarity by referring to you as "she" but, sometimes, I just like to be a bad girl. Even though I take internet forum I.D.'s with a grain of salt, it was still inappropriate to say "she" when you haven't given me permission to do so. I know many gay men are sensitive about the fun and sarcasm surrounding mixed pronoun usage. (I've gotten into loads of trouble.) I apologize if this caused you any duress or forced you to take more pills than you're already accustomed to taking. I have a feeling you're a good sport and can take a joke.

I know you never mentioned being a pre-op transsexual but, back in the day when I first started making myself known here, I said some of your posts read like they were written by a pre-op transsexual, from Britain, of course. This is my own little inside joke and I often make myself weak with laughter when no one is around to help. Now that I've come to enjoy your "daft" rants and raves, my joke no longer applies.

My aunt, who took laxatives and missed her one and only visit to the Louvre, is the gin girl. My drink of choice is always champagne (Louis Roederer Cristal) but sometimes I enjoy a really good vodka (Grey Goose).

I'm not going to comment on my experience with the English but I do agree that many folks here will never understand Europe. Yet, with all my years of travel to that fabulous Italy, I still chuckle when my Roman friends remind me that they find many aspects of Italian life third-world. But, then again, these are Romans who spend time in America.

I could never be offended by someone who swills Grey Goose, as it is mother's milk to me.

I am not offended by being called, "she." I realize that this is a part of the gay ethos. But, there are other here who assume I am a woman because I have a "husband," and my sn is thingorjus. (Men can't be thin and gorgeous, I guess, at least not in Indiana.)

I am offended, however, by American arrogance toward other countries. Afterall, everyone knows our Princess Anne makes your President look like a pansy. :) Yet, you don't see us Brits holding that over your heads. Bottoms up, John G.

TG--it's not arrogance, it's just the certain knowledge that we truly are better than any other nation, emipire, tribe, etc. now or ever before in history. Actually probably even better than any in pre-history. Not to mention better than anything that will eventuate over the next few hundred thousand years.

I am a pharmacy tech and I think traveling with your RX's is a wise idea...but how do the custome agents identify that you have the correct medication in the bottle? You could sure be sticking stolen Vicodan/Lorcet etc. into a bottle that is labed Bactrim DS or something (antibiotic) and how the heck would customs know? I doubt they have access to every picture of every maker of every generic drug. Just pondering...

Has anyone of us really had their prescription drugs checked and, therefore, have firsthand knowledge?

I get the uneasy feeling that what we read here is gossip warmed up for the bad news league. I have made several trips to Europe since 1997 and many trips to Canada over the years.

I have never had my medicines inspected by anybody nor have I seen a fellow tourist who did have his personal medicines reviewed. I do indeed carry my presciption medicines in the original bottles, but that is mainly because I need to keep them identified for myself!

Whether in the original bottle or not, what would a European customs official know about American prescription drug names. Often the same drug over here does not even have the same generic name as its European analogue. Take Tylenol or Acetaminophen as an example. In Europe acetaminophen is known as Paracetamol in some countries. I remember asking for acetaminenophen/Tylenol in Switzerland and getting blank stares until I found the owner of a sporting goods store who had lived in the USA.

So if a European customs officer looked at a prescription bottle of Levaquin I doubt if he or she would know what it was. And what could/would the legal authorities do anyhow?

So really. Does anybody out there know anything factual to contribute?
Does Dr. Rex have any first hand experience with personal presription drugs being inspected when brought into Europe?

I do agree with one assessment, even though I have had no direct experience. American customs types with their drug sniffing dogs and arrogant attitude are much more unsettling than any
European officials.

By actual experience I have encountered American border patrol officials who were more expert on insurance policies than professional insurance agents who had passed all parts of the CPCU or the CLU exams. These folks are scary.

About once a year when I'm getting my RXs filled/refilled, I ask the pharmacist to just make duplicate labels.

I then stick those labels onto the small plastic bags in which I put a supply of pills sufficient for the time I'll be away. I can re-use those labeled Ziplocks several times/trips.

So my drugs are in correctly labeled containers. I thought that was more important than "original containers". How would security or customs people really know what KIND of container the pharmicist originally put the pills into, anyway?

I must admit, my method has never been put to any kind of test.

I still feel more comfortable to bring the original containers if I bring prescription medecines with me..

You never know..
Talking about something different, this is als about customs agents.
I heard awhile back that this man, was bringing to Europe , in a vase his mother ashes , which he wanted to scatter at his mother favourite's village.
When he arrived, the agents tought that he was bringing some kind of illegal drugs with him.

He went through Hell, was strip searched and held at customs for awhile, until they could determine that the grey powder were the real thing.

Meanwhile,he lost almost all the poor mom remains...He was devastated and thought that it was a bad nightmare..

What an experience to go through..

As you see, everything is possible when travelling to Foreign countries..

Has anyone had their prescriptions checked? YES! Going by ferry from Kusadasi, Turkey to Samos, Greece. The Greek customs people were really thorough. Every single thing in my toiletries kit was checked, and every bottle and container opened. They even opened the aspirin bottle and studied the imprint on the actual tablets. The girl in front of my was upset because they dumped most of the contents of a container of her "body powder" onto a cloth. They sniffed it and even tasted it, thinking it might be something else. Damn, I could smell that horrible lavendar scent from 5 feet away.

While it was not a Europe trip, my husband and I had our drugs checked by Customs coming back to the US from Nassau! We stayed at the Ocean Club (remember that place? sigh) and the Yankee had to stretch the wrong way and snap, there went his back. So in order to get him in and out of the hotel, the hotel doc gave him a little envelope with some big white pills in it.
Whatever they were, they worked. He was not in pain but had a somewhat suspicious smile on his face....all the time. At the Customs gate, they looked in my purse ( of course, I was carrying everything in my bag) and I was asked what these pills were. We were taken aside and had to tell the whole story-while the Yankee smiled blissfully..then they called the hotel, talked to the doc and let us board the plane.
So...my lesson learned was...
Take your meds in their bottles. In your carry-on is fine. I have never since then been bothered by anyone about the drugs I carry and for a healthy person, I do carry quite a few. (you never know when someone will irritate you and your head will pound!)
Good luck and be Well!
((F))

I think the story about the man and his Mum in the urn must be an urban legend. Not to be too morbid, but cremated remains are not fine ash, they have chunks of bone in them and it would have been pretty obvious it was human remains.

Joelle

Joelle,
I saw the man in tv and was crying when he was telling his story..