FAIR Health Consumer Access

Tips for Traveling with Prescription Medicines

Going on a trip this summer? If you regularly take prescription medicines, you’ll need to bring them along. Here are some tips for making sure you have them when you need them, no matter how far you travel.

Planning for Your Trip
When planning for your trip, don’t forget about your prescription medicines. Make sure you have enough on hand to last for your entire trip—and a few days more, in case of delays. If you need a refill and it’s time to get one, get it before you leave. If you can’t get it because it’s too early, ask your pharmacist to ask your insurer for a vacation override. That will allow your prescription to be filled earlier than usual. If your insurer won’t agree to that, you may have to pay out of pocket for however many days’ supply you need. If that happens, ask your pharmacy about discounts or check discount pharmacy sites.

Are you traveling out of the country? If so, check with the US embassy for your destination to make sure your medicines are legal there. Some medicines that are legal in the United States are not legal everywhere. Some medicines are permitted in other countries only with a doctor’s note.

Packing Your Medicines
It’s a good idea to keep your medicines in the original bottles in which the pharmacy dispensed them. Some states and countries require that. It also helps to bring a list of your medicines and doses. Write down the generic name of the medicine in case you need a refill in another country. Brand names may be different in other countries.

If you’re traveling by car, keep your medicines in the passenger cabin with you. Don’t place them in the glove compartment or trunk, which can get overheated. Medicines can be damaged by extreme temperatures.

If you’re traveling by air, pack your medicines in your carry-on bag so that you’ll have them in case your checked bags get lost. Medicines in pill or other solid form are allowed to pass through security but will be screened. Medicines in liquid form are allowed even if they’re over the 3.4-ounce limit. But you have to tell the officer at the screening checkpoint about them at the start of the process.

Refilling a Prescription While Traveling
What if you get to your destination and find out you forgot your medicines, or didn’t bring enough? If you’re traveling in the United States, you have options. You can call your home pharmacy and ask them to transfer your prescription to a pharmacy near where you’re staying. (You may need to ask for a vacation override if it’s not time for a refill.) This is easier if your pharmacy is part of a national chain and they transfer your prescription to a pharmacy in the same chain. Check to make sure the nearby pharmacy you choose is in your health plan’s network.

If you’re traveling out of the country and you need a refill, you may need to see a local doctor to get a prescription. Many foreign pharmacies won’t fill a prescription from out of the country. If this happens, you may have to ask your doctor to email a copy of the prescription and a letter explaining your diagnosis and treatment. You can share that with the local doctor.