Students should consult with their health care providers and/or UHS to determine what medications they will need while abroad and whether those medications are available and legal at their destination.
Do not assume that because you have been prescribed a medication in the United States it is legal and available in another country. Some medications commonly prescribed or sold over the counter in the US are illegal in other countries. Ignorance is not a valid excuse for not abiding by local medication laws. In particular, some medications prescribed for ADD/ADHD may require special permission before being allowed into other countries.
Students who need to fill prescriptions in their host country may need to schedule an appointment with a physician in the host country to obtain a prescription. To make this process smooth and to ensure that the correct prescription is prescribed, students should bring their prescription letter that was written by their US physician. GeoBlue's Student Portal contains useful resources, including lists of approved local hospitals, doctors, dentists, pharmacies, and translation services.
Students must pack their medications according to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulations, including declaring the medication for screening at checkpoints and having the name on the medication label match the name as it appears on the boarding pass. Visit the TSA website for more information.
It is also recommended that students carry a medication/emergency card with their name, drug allergies, physician’s name and contact information, exact names of the medications that they are currently taking, and an emergency contact.
Below are a few resources students can utilize to learn if their medication is legal in their host country. Students who are taking controlled substances and/or psychotropic medications are particularly recommended to do this research.
Find more resources on medications at Online Travel Resources, under "Medications."