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Can you take prescription medications on a plane?

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Oct 29, 2024.

Official Answer by Drugs.com

You can take prescription medications on a plane. They can be placed in a clear plastic bag for screening or in your checked-in luggage. But you may have to undergo additional security checks and you should be prepared for these. The following tips may help:

Call the TSAs toll-free number (1-855-787-2227) at least 72 hours before traveling to find out more about screening policies, procedures, and what to expect at security checkpoints.

What about OTC medications?

Even if your medications can be purchased over the counter from a pharmacy or supermarket, carry them in a clear plastic bag, in the original packaging, and tell the security officer that you have them with you.

Each country has its own laws regarding medicines. There may be some medicines available from a drug store or supermarket in the United States that are prohibited in another country or even worse – considered a controlled substance. There may be serious consequences if you violate the laws in another country including removal of your medicine, fines, or jail time.

If you are concerned about the legality of your medicines in another country, contact your destination country’s embassy as well as the embassies of the countries you have layovers for to make sure your medicines are allowed.

In your carry-on or checked luggage?

Take your medications in your carry-on luggage – just in case you need your medication during your flight, have delays, or your checked luggage goes missing. However, you can take extra supplies in your checked luggage if you need to.

What if my medication requires refrigeration?

Check with your pharmacist before you leave how long your medication can stay out of the refrigerator. If your medication requires refrigeration during the flight you will need to prearrange cold storage for the flight, so contact the airline about this. Carry your medicine in a separate bag ready to hand to the flight attendant when boarding the plane.

The American Diabetes Association has worked closely with the TSA to ensure all diabetes-related supplies can be carried on board by people with diabetes once they have been properly screened by x-ray or hand inspection. The ADA offers the following tips for people traveling with diabetes:

For more information about traveling with diabetes ring TSA Cares (1-855-787-2227) Mon-Fri 9 am-9 pm EST, excluding Federal holidays; or look on their website, www.tsa.gov.

I am crossing several time zones. How do I work out when to take my medicine?

How much you need to change your medication schedule depends on how far you are traveling, and for how long. If you are just traveling from the East to the West coast of the U.S., for example, you may be able to keep to a similar schedule or just gradually adjust the timing of your dosages over a few days.

For people traveling further abroad, talk to your doctor a few months out from your holiday. A different formulation of your medication may be available, allowing you to take it less often during the day. This makes adjusting to time zones a whole lot easier and reduces the chance of missing a dose.

If you have to take medications twice, or even three times daily, keep a written list of all your medications and how often you normally take them. Use the hours to your destination rather than the time of day to work out how many doses you will need during your flight and mark off when you have taken a dose. You may need to gradually adjust the dose by an hour or so each day to make it easier to fit in with the time zone of your new destination. Have a written plan that you have discussed with your doctor as well as a daily marked pill box to keep track of your medicine. When you are jet-lagged it can be impossible to remember if you did take your medicine or not!

References
  • Can you pack your meds in a pill case and more questions answered TSA https://www.tsa.gov/travel/travel-tips/can-you-pack-your-meds-pill-case-and-more-questions-answered
  • Traveling Abroad with Medicine. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/travel-abroad-with-medicine
  • 5 Tips for Traveling to the U.S. With Medications. US Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/5-tips-traveling-us-medications

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