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If you're thinking about taking medication overseas, you'll need to understand the local laws of the country you're travelling into first, and any restrictions they have in place. Here's some crucial information to know before jumping on that plane.
We looked at 20 popular destinations for Australians and the conditions of entry with prescription medications.
Destination | Conditions | Destination guide |
---|---|---|
Thailand |
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Fiji |
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South Africa |
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Hong Kong |
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Philippines |
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France |
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Japan |
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Indonesia |
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Singapore |
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United States of America |
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Vietnam |
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United Kingdom |
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Malaysia |
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Canada |
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New Zealand |
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India |
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Cruises from Australia |
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Italy |
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Europe |
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China |
| Learn more |
Most standard travel insurance policies do not cover loss or theft of prescription drugs, but you may be able to find specialised insurance that will.
If you’ll be taking regular medication during your trip, you generally won't be able to find cover for them as the drugs are for a pre-existing condition. However, if you are hospitalised overseas and are prescribed medication for a new ailment, you may be able to make a claim under the overseas medical section of your policy.
Policies designed for senior travellers, travellers with disabilities and those with pre-existing medical conditions often include cover for medications. Your pre-existing condition will need to be declared, assessed and approved by your insurer before you’ll be able to purchase such a policy.
Even if your travel insurance covers medication, you may not be reimbursed for the entire amount of your loss. It will depend on how much your prescriptions cost to replace while you're overseas. A drug that is subsidised under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in Australia, for instance, may not be in a country such as the USA where replacement drugs may be very expensive due to that country's costly health care system.
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Some types of medication may be strictly controlled overseas, and even a prescription and doctor’s note won’t guarantee your ability to travel with them. All of the following drugs are subject to international controls, and it’s may be a good idea to ask your doctor for alternative medications where possible:
There are lots of rules and regulations around taking medication overseas. Here are a few things to be aware of:
The name of the medicine, including the chemical and brand name; the strength and dosage; the form and manner of administration; written confirmation that you are travelling with this medicine and that it is for your personal use only.
If you run out of medicine while you’re overseas, you can see a doctor in the country you are visiting and try to get the local version, depending on whether or not it is legal in that country. Alternatively, you can contact your doctor in Australia and have your medicines sent to you.
You can have PBS medicines sent to you from Australia if:
To verify they are for your personal use and are no more than is allowed by law, your medication will need to be accompanied by a letter from your doctor or by a customs declaration form, available from any Australian post office. You’ll need to contact the embassy or consulate of the country you’re visiting to determine whether your medication is legal there.
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Where applicable, a doctor’s note may help you take your non-prescription medicine through border controls more easily. To improve your chances of being able to travel with your non-prescription or over-the-counter medication, you should include this form and follow these simple tips:
Medical devices can range from bandages and tongue depressors to catheters, blood pressure monitors, prostheses and syringes.
Travelling with medical devices can lead to problems if you aren’t prepared. Here are some ways to avoid complications while travelling.
If you have a pre-existing medical condition that requires regular medication, here are some additional tips when travelling overseas.
Check out which conditions are typically covered automatically
Taking medication with you overseas requires some forethought. The following checklist will help you ensure you’ve ticked all the boxes before you leave:
If you're taking medications overseas, you may have a pre-existing medical condition. Pre-existing medical conditions add risk to you travels. To be on the safer side, check out our travel insurance options to get you covered for the unexpected so you're not left out of pocket. AllClear offers cover for all declared pre-existing conditions, if you want to check out our other brands, start your search here.
Remember to declare any conditions you're taking prescription medications for to the insurer to make sure you're covered.
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Hi,
I’m travelling to Ireland, Denmark and Norway with transit stop in Dubai and Singapore from Australia. I want to take antibiotics with me. Am I ok just with the original box and script or do I need a letter from the doctor?
Hi Anne,
Thank you for getting in touch with Finder.
It is recommended to bring doctor’s prescription with you during your trip since you will go through various countries. This is to make sure that checking your antibiotics at the customs will not consume much time.
I hope this helps.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Jeni
Can you travel to Zambia with Concerta? Going for 3 months
Hi Vic,
Thanks for getting in touch! We don’t specifically know if Concerta is allowed in Zambia – what’s important is that for all the medications you have to bring when you travel must have legitimate and strong supporting documents and that they are prescribed by your doctors for your own consumption. Hope this helps!
Best,
Nikki
I am going to the Philippines for 6 to 12 months and take several daily meds, the only one I think could be a problem as it is for pain is tramadol. Do you know if it allowable there?
Hi Pete,
Thank you for your comment.
To bring your medications in the Philippines, pack any these in their original containers. Check that all their labels are easy to read. Bring a signed and dated letter from your personal physician, confirming your current medication needs.
Upon checking, Tramadol is an opioid. You can take it to the counter of a pharmacy, with the prescription or a note containing the drug name, the dose and the quantity and it will be filled for you, assuming they have the drug in stock and if it’s available in the Philippines.
Should you wish to have real-time answers to your questions, try our chat box on the lower right corner of our page.
Regards,
Jhezelyn
Travelling to Thailand and am taking cyklokapron will I need a doctors note? Bottle is labelled
Hi Melinda,
Thanks for your inquiry.
Some prescription medications available in Australia have controlled substances in Thailand, even if prescribed by an Australian doctor. If you plan to bring prescription or non-prescription medication into Thailand, you may need to contact the closest Thai Embassy or Consulate to confirm it’s legal. Should you decide to contact the embassy, it would be best to do so at least a month in advance.
Alternatively, you may want to speak to your doctor or a travel doctor. They will often be able to tell you whether you can bring certain medications into a specific country.
Cheers,
Joanne
Am travelling from Singapore to Phuket for 4 day’s, have prescription meds that contain codeine, oxazepam and prednisone (have a letter from my doctor) I will only take enough for the four days so do i need to fill out a application (their Web page keeps telling me my email is invalid) Many Thanks in advance for your time and trouble.
Hi Brenda,
Thanks for your inquiry.
You only have to declare the medications you are bringing at the airport for them not to be confiscated, as long as you bring the doctor’s note with you there shouldn’t be a problem.
Hope this information helped.
Cheers,
Arnold