Prescription Medication Authorisation when Travelling

My GP just wrote a letter when I was going to Oz as I was travelling through Asia did the same when transiting through Dubai.. no charge. When travelling in Europe I just take my current prescription.

As I’d never travelled before to Albania I opted to take a £45 letter with me last year and also a list of all my prescriptions. The letter was a waste of money as no-one whilst either entering or leaving the country was interested.

Just an addendum to the above, I left behind my sleeping tablets when I went to Singapore as I knew how keen they were there on prohibited drugs. Big mistake, I should have got official permission, as I injured my back whilst carrying luggage and hardly slept at all whilst there.

I always take my paper prescription and everything else is digital on my phone. I always order extra or early to cover our whole holiday and a few days when we are home

We both take a copy of our prescriptions as printed out by the pharmacy and meds are left in the original packaging.

Certain pain relief medicines are banned in some countries so it’s crucial to prove possession is justified.

GrannyGravy13 & Dizzyribs thank you for your advice re: non-prescription medication.
It’s been 25 years since we holidayed abroad, so a lot has changed in that time. Trying to ensure any hiccups are minimised.

I take the printout which comes with my repeat prescription, more in case I run out when I’m away than as proof. In all the years I’ve been travelling, I’ve never been asked about medications, nor do I know of anyone who has.

When I went to Dubai to stay with DD I got a list of allowed/ banned meds from the UAE website and checked that all mine were OK. I'm on weekly Ozempc injections and had to pack the syringe with an ice pack all wrapped in bubble wrap. That caused a bit of an issue at Heathrow but not at the other end!
I take a copy of my repeat prescriptionn but it is also on my NHS app on my phone.

I've only always just taken along my latest repeat prescription sheet with me. I've luckily never needed to use it but I always carry it separate from my medication just in case I'm asked because I am on some very strong (opioid) medication

Receptionist printed out my meds from my med history free of charge.

I take DH meds in their boxes and a copy of the prescription . And make sure the meds are in hand luggage , not hold . In case of delays , cancellations and lost hold luggage . I’ve heard of so many people who’ve put meds in hold luggage and had a long delay .

I live ‘abroad’ and when I travel a have the doctors’ prescriptions, (several specialists) on me.
Regulations keep changing, depending on the airport/ country. Fez allowed my DGD, 17, through with a liquid drink, totally different from Liverpool when having to separate ventoline from the rest of the medication.
However, I have never had a problem with EpiPens, which I have always thought as dangerous to other passengers.

We have always taken more than enough prescribed medication to last while we were away even when away for 2-3 months. Even if a foreign chemist was prepared to sell you UK prescribed medication you’d have to pay for it and the cost might come as a shock.

Co-codamol isn’t illegal in Spain by the way but you can’t buy it over the counter now. I got round the new rule when it started by getting my daughter to buy some in the UK and post it out to me.

Worst case scenario is that you’d have to pay to see a doctor abroad and ask them to prescribe the medication for you. If you have a copy of your latest U.K. prescription as provided by the chemist it shouldn’t be a problem.

Grannytomany In France my pharmacist will only give out medicine on a prescription less than 6 months old.