prescription drugs

I heard they they are very strict when it comes to bringing in prescription drugs to Australia. You have to bring original prescriptions with doctors orders. That would take up half my suitecase. Has anyone had problems with them confiscating their medicine? What do you do if they do, this could mean life or death to some people.

I heard they they are very strict when it comes to bringing in prescription drugs to Australia. You have to bring original prescriptions with doctors orders. That would take up half my suitecase. Has anyone had problems with them confiscating their medicine? What do you do if they do, this could mean life or death to some people.

Here is one of several Q&A's on the official Australian Government web site.

I am travelling to Australia by plane or ship and need to bring my medication with me. What do I need to do?

Provided that your medication IS NOT subject to regulation 5H (or in certain circumstances regulation 5G) of the import regulations you can bring it into Australia for the purpose of treating your own medical condition or treating a passenger who is under your care, provided that you have a prescription or a letter from your doctor to confirm that the medicine was prescribed by a medical practitioner. So that you comply with other Australian legislation covering therapeutic products you should ensure that the maximum amount of medicine you bring is equivalent to 3 months’ supply at the maximum dose recommended by the manufacturer.

To check out if anything you are carrying in is listed under one of the prohibitions, go to the web site. You do not need both a letter AND a prescription. We always travel with our prescriptions in case of an issue with our supply while we are away.

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/general-guidance-for-travellers-bringing-medicines-to-and-from-australia

Hope this helps!

I heard they they are very strict when it comes to bringing in prescription drugs to Australia. You have to bring original prescriptions with doctors orders. That would take up half my suitecase. Has anyone had problems with them confiscating their medicine? What do you do if they do, this could mean life or death to some people.

This is a common question. You needn't get overly concerned about bringing your prescription drugs into Australia. The quote by cjm66 is absolutely correct.You do need to carry either a prescription (handy if you need to replenish) or Drs letter, not both. However, i have yet to hear of anyone having a problem.

If you are carrying medicines, make sure you tick "yes" on the immigration card -then you will not have any problems. Secondly, have them in the original packaging - not loose - that will help with identification, should you be queried. Australia uses sniffer dogs to detect illegal substances.

The regulations are designed to prevent people bringing in boxes and boxes of drugs that are then onsold as well as the performance enhancing kind.

I carry quite a few prescription meds in and out of Australia for various ailments and have never had any problem. They are in their original blister packs or bottles (not loose). If you have items that can be misused (strong pain meds, ephedrine, opiates, etc) then a doc's letter might be handy but if you have them in quantities that are obviously for personal use, not for resale or to set up a meth lab, you'll be fine. There's no way you'll be denied your legitimate meds.

For my trip this Spring, I had my doctor give me a prescription for each of my medications with a notation on the form as to what the medicine was for. On my immigration form, I did indicate I was carrying medications. The very kind customs inspector inquired as to the quantity. She was OK with a quantity that was less than a 90 day supply.

This has me very concerned. One of my prescriptions is on their restricted list and I need a permit to bring it into the country! I'm leaving in 2 weeks. This is causing me anxiety and my prescription is to control anxiety. Isn't this just wonderful.

This has me very concerned. One of my prescriptions is on their restricted list and I need a permit to bring it into the country! I'm leaving in 2 weeks. This is causing me anxiety and my prescription is to control anxiety. Isn't this just wonderful.

Begin the process now, by getting the documentation from your doctor as outlined on the web site and email it off ASAP. Keep hard copies of this documentation, in case there is no answer before you depart. Declare and explain what has happened to customs, show your copies of your application, prescription and medication in original packaging and await a decision at point of entry. Cover yourself by asking your doctor to prescribe something as a substitute that is NOT on the list. Ask you doctor to check if the medication is available in Australia as a second back up and be prepared to visit a doctor here for a prescription. The documentation needed for your import application should be sufficient for the local doctor to be confident prescribing the medication. Your current prescription will not be honoured in an Australian pharmacy. I hope it all works out for you. We had a similar issue going the other way and had a positive outcome at the point of entry, but what worked for us entering the UK may not work here.

Does anyone know if a printout of my prescriptions from the pharmacy will suffice?

Does anyone know if a printout of my prescriptions from the pharmacy will suffice?

I rang the TGA , therapeutic goods administration, office and got the following advice. Turnaround time on applications to import restricted items can vary according to the product from a few days to two weeks. She offered to put me through to a pharmacist but not knowing the medication, this would not be helpful. I asked about the print out for other meds instead of original prescriptions and she advised that this should be OK, provided the documentation had your name on it, the pharmacy name and the names of the medications. It would not be sufficient for the permit application. Hope this helps. I will ring them with follow up questions if you wish. There is a delay getting through so calling from the US could be problematic. She also agreed that taking copies of your application and the supporting documentation and trying for an 'on entry' approval from customs would be the way to go if your permit did not come through in time. Good luck!

Cjm66, thank you very much! This was so kind of you. In a panic yesterday, I emailed them and they said there is an exception to the permit if the drugs are for personal use. Yeah! I have sent them a follow-up email asking if the pharmacists printout would do. I am waiting for an answer.

Cjm66, thank you very much! This was so kind of you. In a panic yesterday, I emailed them and they said there is an exception to the permit if the drugs are for personal use. Yeah! I have sent them a follow-up email asking if the pharmacists printout would do. I am waiting for an answer.

What about sleeping pills such as Ambien?

Hi allW

My Mum will be travelling with me to NZ on Voyager of the Seas next week so this is a question that we needed answers for.

I searched both the Australian and NZ Customs websites to find the following information:

When taking prescription medicine from Australia, a letter from a doctor or dentist should be carried stating who the medicine is for, the need for the medicine and the quantity supplied. You should also keep the medicient in its ORIGINAL PACKAGING, showing where the medicine was dispensed, for whom the medicine was prescribed and how much was paid for the prescription."

"When bringing medicines into NZ on your person or in your luggage.... you must ensure you have a copy of the prescription from your doctor or a letter form your doctor stating that you are being treated with the medicine(s) and you carry the medicine(s) in their original containers."

Hi allW

 

"When bringing medicines into NZ on your person or in your luggage.... you must ensure you have a copy of the prescription from your doctor or a letter form your doctor stating that you are being treated with the medicine(s) and you carry the medicine(s) in their original containers."

Thanks for the research. It just confirms what we have all been saying - common sense really. Just take you scripts and keep your pills in the original packaging = no probs. It is only those that keep on defying the suggestions and think they can get away with loose pills that will get hauled aside. What happens in Europe/USA does not equate to what you can do here. Have a great trip.

Does medicines in original packaging mean all the packaging including external cardboard pack, or is it OK to just carry the foil strips that contain the pills.

Iain

The foil packs are fine. Please let's not blow this up into the big deal it isn't. NZ and Australia aren't brutal dictatorships poised to deprive visitors of their usual prescription medications. Like almost every other country, including the US and Europe, you will only have a problem if you have unidentifiable loose tablets or very large quantities of things like ephedrine based cold remedies, steroids, addictive pain meds, etc. If you feel more comfortable bringing a copy of your prescriptions and/or doc's note for your own peace of mind then go ahead but our rules aren't nearly as draconian as the bureaucratic blurb has you so worried about.

Does this apply to non-prescription drugs, also - like vitamins? It's so much more "space" effective in a carry on bag to count out the vitamins needed and put them in a baggie than to keep them in the original bottles. If necessary, I'll find a way, but if I can put vitamins into baggies, it's much easier. It's never been a problem anywhere else in the world that I've traveled. What do you think?

Thanks,

Shelley

I think your question has already been answered...

The point is identification of tablets. :)

I always bring my pills in the Sunday/Monday/Tuesday etc. plastic pill divider I fill and use every week at home. For a two week cruise, I bring two. Easier than bringing all those bottles. Will this be okay? I have blood pressure medicine, baby aspirin, calcium, and heartburn medicine.

Yes, you will be fine. I repeat, please don't allow this non-problem to become one. I challenge anyone, Aussie/Kiwi nationals or visitors to say when they or anyone they know has had legitimate, run of the mill prescription meds (or vitamins) confiscated at the border. It simply doesn't happen unless you have a suitcase full of stuff that can't possibly be for personal use or a stash of concealed baggies of mysterious substances. Like I say, the rules here are the same ones that apply when crossing almost any other border anywhere else in the world. I carry BP, diabetes, statin, beta blocker meds and have never, ever had a problem. I don't even bother to declare them and nobody has bothered to ask about them or demand to see a prescription which I dont carry anyway as I make sure I have enough meds for my trip, plus a few spares.

here is another discussion about the same topic

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1728756

What about bringing a weekly prescription organizer w/ you on shore excursions?

You're all overthinking this!

I live in NZ and make regular trips to Australia.

I have prescription medications and always take a brief letter from my doctor, stating the drugs prescribed for me. I take sufficient drugs for my holiday, in a pharmacy bottle labelled with the pharmacy's original label. If necessary, I attach this label to a smaller pharmacy bottle. These are the same precautions I take for entering any country.

I have never been asked about my medications on entering either Australia or NZ.

No one is going to question you if you take a one-day supply of your prescribed medication off a ship for an excursion on a port day.

You're all overthinking this!

I live in NZ and make regular trips to Australia.

 

I have prescription medications and always take a brief letter from my doctor, stating the drugs prescribed for me. I take sufficient drugs for my holiday, in a pharmacy bottle labelled with the pharmacy's original label. If necessary, I attach this label to a smaller pharmacy bottle. These are the same precautions I take for entering any country.

 

I have never been asked about my medications on entering either Australia or NZ.

 

No one is going to question you if you take a one-day supply of your prescribed medication off a ship for an excursion on a port day.

I agree. The last thing ANY country wants is for a visitor to end up in one of their hospitals because they were refused entry of prescription drugs when entering.

All they are looking for is commercial quantities of chemicals that those who rout the system can turn into psychedelic drugs and sell to people with feeble minds.

I agree. The last thing ANY country wants is for a visitor to end up in one of their hospitals because they were refused entry of prescription drugs when entering.

All they are looking for is commercial quantities of chemicals that those who rout the system can turn into psychedelic drugs and sell to people with feeble minds.

 

Actually in normal everyday tourists its steroids they are looking for. Just ask good ole Sly Stallone who forgot to bring a permit.

But yes as previous posters are saying - dont turn a molehill into a mountain. Everyone in Australia uses the same medications as you and what we can buy over the counter here usually blows the minds of my US friends.

When I am travelling and trying to keep size and weight down with luggage - I use small snack sized ziplocks to separate all of my medications. I cut out the main bit of the cardboard box showing the name and doseage (and in Australian case the actual prescription sticker with my name and doctors name) and pop that in the ziplock. I pop everything out of their blister packs.

On my iphone I have a photo of each prescription.

Because I travel with morphine based medication I do declare it in the countries that require it to be declared and I show them the photo of the prescription and have never had an issue (even passing through Dubai where technically they had the right to confiscate it). I also re-declare it when re-entering Aus.

Have never had anything confiscated in any country anywhere in the world. I havent been to Greece but I know in advance I would go on a cruise not a fly in and out trip as the morphine based stuff would well and truly be confiscated.

For the person who mentioned Ambien - its a very basic calmative sold under 3 or 4 different names here including Stilnox. No issues bringing calmatives or sleeping pills into any countries.

Question.

I haven't taken medication oversea.

But at times I have been on large quantities of various medications.

How do people get on on long cruises, say the World Cruie or Circle Pacific.

Chemists won't give me 3 or four months worth of medication at once.

If I am back on the Opiates I'm unlikely, I would think, to be able to just wander into a Chemist and get them, and I'm not sure any Doctor who hadn't been treating me for a while would just give me a script for say 320mg a day of Oxy.

One of those things I need to get my head around before I book a WC.

.