The height of summer is the height of the holiday season, but in the midst of all the exciting preparations, do not forget to check your prescriptions before you go on holiday.
You can generally get up to one month’s supply of any medication at a time through the NHS electronic prescription service, which outside of particularly long vacations will mean you have enough to get through the holiday period without having to schedule a prescription immediately afterwards.
However, when checking the travel advice for the country you are going to, make sure that you not only check which travel vaccinations you might need but also check to make sure you are allowed to carry the medications you need to stay healthy.
There are not only different lists of allowed prescription medicines but the rules are often different for citizens and people entering the country on travel visas, so it is essential to know which medicines are allowed and which are not, and whether it is against the law to take any of your medication in or whether you need to have the right paperwork.
What Medicines Are Commonly Affected?
Every country will have slightly different regulations but the most common types of medicines that can cause issues are opioids and stimulants, as they can often fall under the broad umbrella of banned substance laws in other countries.
One of the most widely banned drugs that many people in the UK are prescribed is codeine, an opioid painkiller that is often prohibited under the same laws that ban heroin. Tramadol can also fall foul of similar laws.
In some countries, it is not only banned but can lead to a potential prison sentence if you are found with it, whilst in others it is only illegal if you do not have a valid prescription. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before travelling to arrange for this paperwork.
Similarly, stimulants and amphetamines such as those used to treat ADHD are controlled substances in many countries and outright banned in others.
The most extreme example of this is Japan, where there is an exceptionally complex process for garnering approval for some prescription medications, and not doing this or bringing a prescription medicine not on the list into the country can potentially lead to prison time.
Most notably, certain over-the-counter antihistamines used in the treatment of hay fever can fall foul of these regulations and lead to unexpected arrests due to containing pseudoephedrine.
In 2022, a problem that some British travellers to Qatar for the World Cup found was that certain over-the-counter cold remedies required a prescription due to stricter rules in the country.
Generally, if you are uncertain about whether your prescription medicine would be okay to take into another country, contact your doctor at least a month before going, as they will know all of the drugs you are being prescribed and will be able to cross-reference them with the controlled substances lists of the country you are going on holiday to.
Your pharmacist will be able to help with this, as will the foreign office, and most countries publish a list in English of banned and controlled substances.