I have some health issues and am planning a month long trip to the USA. I will need to bring enough medication to last me the month. Will I need a doctor’s note in English to import them?
I also have pills I need to take with every meal/snack, so I always have small pill boxes filled with several unlabelled pills in my purse. Do I need to be concerned with this causing problems if my bag is checked at a venue?
Is there anything else I need to keep in mind when travelling with medication?
8 comments
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I don’t know about getting them in, but I have run into problems carrying loose pills around. Some states, like mine, require pills to be transported in ID info labeled containers. I got around this by taking the labels off my old bottles, and sticking them on the pill carrier.
You will need to look into laws for the specific states you’ll be in, but here’s some generic info to get you started:
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/travel-tips/can-you-pack-your-meds-pill-case-and-more-questions-answered
https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/5-tips-traveling-us-medications
As long as your case is labeled i don’t foresee any issues
Just look up the custom rules from being them into the country. From what I remember you just need them in the bottles with the labels on them and maybe a doctors note but I’m not sure on that part. For carrying around I honestly wouldn’t be to worried especially if you just taking them at meals, lots of people do that.
Having loose pills would be a great way to get detained. If they’re narcotics and you don’t have a prescription you will be going to jail.
Keep them in their original container.
They probably won’t allow loose pills to enter the US. You’ll need to keep them in the prescription bottles.
If any are a narcotic, expect a lot of problems.
Have the letter from your doctor listing each medication.
It is advised that you travel with no more than personal use quantities, a rule of thumb is no more than a 90 day supply. If your medications or devices are not in their original containers, you must have a copy of your prescription with you or a letter from your doctor.
[Read this](https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1160?language=en_US#:~:text=It%20is%20advised%20that%20you,a%20letter%20from%20your%20doctor.)
[here’s a quick rundown](https://www.insuremytrip.com/travel-advice/travel-tips/how-to-travel-with-prescription-drugs/)