Bringing prescription & OTC meds to Australia

[KKB]

I have a little pill container that contains my few prescription meds--blood pressure meds, estrogen & progesterone. (4 total)

When space is an issue, I put them in tiny baggies, labeled.

I have taken them to Europe, Caribbean & traveled domestically this way.

 

I see on the AUS government website it says they need to be in their original pill bottle.

Do you feel this is necessary? A couple bottles are large & a terrible waste of space.

Could I just clip a pic of each label to keep on my phone?

 

How about over the counter meds--are they OK in small labeled baggies?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Cbtours]

1 hour ago, KKB said:

I have a little pill container that contains my few prescription meds--blood pressure meds, estrogen & progesterone. (4 total)

When space is an issue, I put them in tiny baggies, labeled.

I have taken them to Europe, Caribbean & traveled domestically this way.

 

I see on the AUS government website it says they need to be in their original pill bottle.

Do you feel this is necessary? A couple bottles are large & a terrible waste of space.

Could I just clip a pic of each label to keep on my phone?

 

How about over the counter meds--are they OK in small labeled baggies?

Thanks for your help!

 

I used to put my husbands meds in those over the counter weekly pill boxes but now we have them made up in pharmacy packs. Both means they’re not in the original packing. We’ve never had a problem. However we have our scripts with us online too (as is recommended to take with you when travelling) which would be verification if needed.

[daydreamer16]

3 hours ago, KKB said:

I have a little pill container that contains my few prescription meds--blood pressure meds, estrogen & progesterone. (4 total)

When space is an issue, I put them in tiny baggies, labeled.

I have taken them to Europe, Caribbean & traveled domestically this way.

 

I see on the AUS government website it says they need to be in their original pill bottle.

Do you feel this is necessary? A couple bottles are large & a terrible waste of space.

Could I just clip a pic of each label to keep on my phone?

 

How about over the counter meds--are they OK in small labeled baggies?

Thanks for your help!

 

I've done the same thing, my DH takes a load of meds! Plus on our last Princess cruise in 2019 DH got a very bad case of the flu & we spent about $30 just on Tylenol since we were on a TA. Now we bring loads of OTC meds.

[arxcards]

If you are travelling with OTC medications, such as parecetamol, aspirin, Ibuprofen these are easily carried in blister strips as these are sealed and branded. If you empty similar pills from a bulk container into pill boxes or baggies, the onus is on you to prove what they are should they be detected or selected from a random search. This isn't just an Aussie thing, but for most countries around the world - including returning back into the US. Australian authorities can identify most medications, but it may come with inconvenience to you.

 

For any prescriptions, carry a copy or photocopy of the prescription. Be especially careful when travelling with prescription opiates (codeine, oxycodone, morphine) as these will trigger the sensitive noses of sniffer dogs. When travelling with restricted medications like that, you should also have a certificate from your doctor. 

 

There is also a declaration around this at question 1 of the arrivals card. Be honest. If they think you are being sneaky, they may question your motives.

[cruiselvr04]

We package all our meds for a trip in daily tiny plastic bags.  I have the original labels from the pharmacy with me.  We have done this in other parts of the world.  Hoping Australia is no different. OTC are in small labeled baggies, most are blister packs. We’d have to bring an entire case with vitamins and meds otherwise and that’s not practical. 
 

I do not have “copies” of the prescriptions.  Our pharmacy doesn’t give that out and I did ask. I will declare we have them, they are all for personal use.  I’m hoping the labels are adequate.  They have everything on them a prescription would have on it, maybe more as they describe what the pill looks like too. 

[MicCanberra]

We travel with our scripts and most of any meds we have are in blister packs with the branding on it. The ones that don't we take the brand and directions off the box in the small sandwich bag with the pills.

Once we asked the chemist for a smaller plastic container with the brand, directions on it., we haven't  bothered since as we have never had an issue.

[arxcards]

25 minutes ago, cruiselvr04 said:

We package all our meds for a trip in daily tiny plastic bags.  I have the original labels from the pharmacy with me.  We have done this in other parts of the world.  Hoping Australia is no different. OTC are in small labeled baggies, most are blister packs. We’d have to bring an entire case with vitamins and meds otherwise and that’s not practical. 
 

I do not have “copies” of the prescriptions.  Our pharmacy doesn’t give that out and I did ask. I will declare we have them, they are all for personal use.  I’m hoping the labels are adequate.  They have everything on them a prescription would have on it, maybe more as they describe what the pill looks like too. 

Just take a photo of the script with your phone before your medication is dispensed.

[KKB]

30 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Just take a photo of the script with your phone before your medication is dispensed.

That's what I was thinking.Thx

[hal2008]

Here is ourstrategy that we have used with AU/NZ (it may or may not work with others)

 

we ALWAYS go through RED channel (or attempt to)

 

At least 3 or 4 people will ask you at every 5-6 feet distance what do you want to declare.

 

I tell them that we have always heard horror stories about strict Australian customs and we do not want to be in any trouble. Here is the written list of medicines that we are bringing (brand name along with generic name) and here is the written list of food items we carry (power bars, trail mix, cookies, brownies). Please take away anything that is prohibited.

 

Some smirk, some laugh, some show irritated face but all waive us through. Never ever inspect anything.

Edited January 25 by hal2008

[cruiselvr04]

3 hours ago, arxcards said:

Just take a photo of the script with your phone before your medication is dispensed.

Sounds good but that’s not the way its done here.  Prescriptions are sent electronically from the doctor to the pharmacy. We don’t see the actual prescription. This is alway true with narcotics as it prevents unauthorized duplication. Plus all ours are renewed automatically every 3 months and either sent by mail or picked up.  Truthfully I haven’t seen an actual prescription in years.  

[Hogbay]

8 hours ago, KKB said:

I have a little pill container that contains my few prescription meds--blood pressure meds, estrogen & progesterone. (4 total)

When space is an issue, I put them in tiny baggies, labeled.

I have taken them to Europe, Caribbean & traveled domestically this way.

 

I see on the AUS government website it says they need to be in their original pill bottle.

Do you feel this is necessary? A couple bottles are large & a terrible waste of space.

Could I just clip a pic of each label to keep on my phone?

 

How about over the counter meds--are they OK in small labeled baggies?

Thanks for your help!

 

Here is the link 🙂for Australian Border Force .

https://www.abf.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/can-you-bring-it-in/categories/medicines-and-substances

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, cruiselvr04 said:

Sounds good but that’s not the way its done here.  Prescriptions are sent electronically from the doctor to the pharmacy. We don’t see the actual prescription. This is alway true with narcotics as it prevents unauthorized duplication. Plus all ours are renewed automatically every 3 months and either sent by mail or picked up.  Truthfully I haven’t seen an actual prescription in years.  

Thanks,

I wondered if that was the case. That can also happen here now, and is the way of online consultations, but our docs can still do hand written scripts. But I do emphasize, if you have no documentation with strong narcotics, you will encounter issues one day. If not Australia, it could even be at your own border returning home. 

 

Hogbay's link has simple explanations as to what is expected. 

Edited January 25 by arxcards

[capriccio]

This is what we did when we went to Australia and New Zealand last spring:  printed off our list of prescriptions from express-scripts.  DH had 2 others that were recently prescribed and not thru express-scripts so we just carried their receipts.  I used small pill baggies from Amazon for each prescription and taped the relevant paperwork info (patient's name, doctor's name, med, dosage, pill description) on the back of each baggie and wrote name, and check marked am or pm.  We were traveling for more than 6 weeks so I took at least 8 weeks of each prescription.  The baggies take up no room and don't add any weight to my purse where I carry all prescription meds.

 

Amazon:  https://a.co/d/bNrXVnZ

 

One of DH's prescription was for steroids for severe back pain and he did declare that upon arrival in Australia.  The customs official took one look at an old guy doubled up after 19 hours of flying, didn't ask any questions, welcomed us to Australia and waved us on. 

[MicCanberra]

That sounds like a solid plan to follow.

[lyndarra]

I have visited many countries - 50+ land sea and air. I only take with me PB  pills and sometimes antibiotics or anti-inflamatories. I've never been asked to show anything. I do carry a print out from my GP of what I have been prescribed, that's it. At one time I also used to take glucosamine and krill oil (in ziplocks with my BPs) but don't anymore. Always had them in my carry on, again, never checked.

[JJK2008]

11 hours ago, cruiselvr04 said:

Sounds good but that’s not the way its done here.  Prescriptions are sent electronically from the doctor to the pharmacy. We don’t see the actual prescription. This is alway true with narcotics as it prevents unauthorized duplication. Plus all ours are renewed automatically every 3 months and either sent by mail or picked up.  Truthfully I haven’t seen an actual prescription in years.  

The pharmacy can print you out a copy of your meds. I know CVS does it. They did it for us. 

[JJK2008]

20 hours ago, KKB said:

I have a little pill container that contains my few prescription meds--blood pressure meds, estrogen & progesterone. (4 total)

When space is an issue, I put them in tiny baggies, labeled.

I have taken them to Europe, Caribbean & traveled domestically this way.

 

I see on the AUS government website it says they need to be in their original pill bottle.

Do you feel this is necessary? A couple bottles are large & a terrible waste of space.

Could I just clip a pic of each label to keep on my phone?

 

How about over the counter meds--are they OK in small labeled baggies?

Thanks for your help!

 

We're similarly situated as you. Recently travelled to Australia and New Zealand for 8 weeks in October/November. Put all of our meds in baggies and labeled them. No opioids. Given we were travelling for so long, we had LOTS of pills. Had these in our backpack carry-ons which was opened a few times with pills in plain view. Always declared what we had to inspectors. Never had an issue. We did also carry hard copies of each prescription but since never asked, we never showed them to anyone.       

[Mareblu]

Our GP kindly prints a letter each for us with a list of our meds, which are minimal anyway, and we carry extra scripts if we’re travelling for a long period.  They go in our travel folder with copies of our passports, vax certs, etc.  We’ve never been asked for verification of meds, but I always think Murphy’s law would prevail without the proof.

[sciencewonk]

I've been in an out of Australia at least 20 times over the past few years.  I always took my meds in the weekly pill boxes and have never been questioned about them.  The one time I had a steroid prescription, I made sure to keep them in the blister pack, so I would be more careful with your steroids or if you have any opiates.  For those, I would definitely keep them in their original container or have a copy of the prescription.

[Jean C]

I simply take all my meds in their original prescribed containers/packs, even though one container is fairly large (fingers crossed, I think I can ditch that one soon). There's a side pocket on my hand luggage holdall that I put them in - when travelling I always keep meds with me, and take enough for a few extra days, just in case.