Prescription Meds

This is often discussed. We take a few pills on a regular basis. Nothing controlled or regulated. Carry them in a zip lock bag or bags. I do carry the Rx label to id the pills and the generic names. Just in care I loose them and need replacement. In 50 years of travel, no one has ever asked to see my pills. Should be no problem.

Might be obvious, but for your own protection, put them in your carry-on bag, just in case
the checked bag (assuming you are doing that) gets lost, or you need the prescriptions
during the flight.

It's always best to check the official source, which you can find here:

https://www.douane.gouv.fr/en/demarche/you-are-traveling-medicines

You say "nothing special" if that means no serious pain meds, no ADHD meds, no meds for depression or anxiety, then you should be fine. Pack as you wish, but either have copies of the prescriptions, or availability online. It would be rare anyone would check or ask, more likely that you will lose them, dump them down the sink, or otherwise be without, and need to replace them, having all the details will speed that process.

This isn't a how big a carryon can I get away with ... this is a legal issue that could trash your holiday if not your life. Its also an ethical issue. Before I follow the advice here, I would find a source that explains the legal requirement and then decide what part you want to ignore. (period, end)

Here is some advice from a quick google search. There seems to be some consensus you might want to consider when deciding which part, if any part, of the law you wish to ignore for convenience.

• https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/travel-abroad-with-medicine
• https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/planning/guidance/medicine-health.html
• https://www.globalsupport.harvard.edu/travel/advice/tips-traveling-medication
• https://www.gov.uk/take-medicine-in-or-out-uk
• https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/travel-medication.

These are just the first to pop up on a Google search. Dig deeper until you are satisfied with a plan.

Now for the sake of sarcasm: The odds of you being checked are about the same as you winning the lottery. Wait? Someone wins the lotter every week … hmmm.

Then there are the impossible scenarios that will never happen to you. Well unless you win the lottery https://globalnews.ca/news/11970902/bc-man-terror-isolation-prescription-adhd-medication-arrest-georgia/ and https://www.hidabroot.com/article/21350

I have done some research. Every border agent in every country is well rested and in a good mood all the time. They have extensive experience in identifying little white pills in tiny Ziplock bags and they can tell by looking in your eye if they were properly prescribed. They also understand that the laws were not written for RS demographics (we won’t say it, but we know who they were written for) and that it’s an unreasonable hardship for RS demographics to comply with the law and so RS folks are exempted.

Very helpful Mr. E!

You can read all the links but they summarize kinda like this:

The official advice is 1) original packaging, 2) doctor's note, 3) paper trail for prescriptions. That is the gold standard of official advice blasted across government websites. If you look up the guidelines from the U.S. Department of State, the CDC, or the French Embassy, they explicitly tell travelers to check all three of those boxes.

And virtually nobody does all three.

And close to zero percentage run into a problem and certainly not for routine meds.

Virtually nobody follows all three rules, and the percentage of travelers who run into problems for routine, everyday medications is zero

If you polled the millions of American tourists landing in France every year, the real-world compliance breakdown looks like this:
• Doing all 3 (Original bottle + Prescription + Doctor's letter): Less than 1% of travelers with basic medications do this. The few who do are usually anxious first-time international flyers who read the government warnings and panicked.
• Doing 1 or 2: Maybe 30% to 40% keep the original bottles. A higher percentage might have a digital copy of their prescription on their phone just in case they lose their bags.
• Doing 0 (Pills dumped into a plastic Monday–Sunday organizer): The vast majority of regular travelers and seniors do exactly this to save precious space in their carry-on

What do I do? I take Lipitor (statin) and water pills (diuretics). I travel with them in my pill organizer for short trips. Longer trips, I take bigger supply in original bottles.

Happy travels!

It's really simple. Sadly, some people make it more complicated than it needs to be.

Bring your prescription meds. Make sure that they are allowed into the country. This is mainly concerning narcotics and controlled substances.

If stopped, what they want to know is...what is the drug, is it prescribed to you, how much you are bringing in, etc.

The reason it is "suggested"--not required--to bring in the original container is not because they like to see those orange containers but because they have the prescribing information labels. The label will tell customs who the drug was prescribed to, what the drug is, who prescribed it, dosage information and prescription dates. That's all. (This pertains mostly to Americans as other countries distribute prescriptions differently.)

If you decide not to utilize the original containers--I don't--have accesss to this information either in paper form or electronically. (I would suggest taking screenshots as internet connectivity may not be great at some customs areas.)

They are also concerened that you are not trying to bring in a large amount to sell or distribute. If you are on a two week trip and take enough for your trip plus a few extra days you'll be fine. If you bring a years worth it may set off some alarm bells.

Remember, millions of people enter France and other EU countries every year with prescription meds. I've never heard of any being sent to the guillotine or warnings that they are after your blood pressure medication.

My prescription meds stay on my person or is in the carry-on. The meds are "simple" just 4 different types of pills of different sizes, ie, "simple" to distinguish. I don't include a copy of the doc's prescription , the doc's letter, nor use a zip lock bag. They are in their original containers but the current one, maybe one from a year ago, etc.

Never have been asked by anyone or anywhere in Europe , TSA or anyone else, about the meds needed on the trip which are obvious to "them" when the carry-on is scanned.

FrankII I kept it simple.

I would find a source that explains the legal requirement and then
decide what part you want to ignore. (period, end)

Both my pharmacy (CVS) and my medical records (from Epic’s MyChart) are accessible any time. They contain helpful information on my Lipitor (lowers my cholesterol) and Hydrochlorothiazide (aka water pills, lowers my blood pressure) along with instructions from my doctor which I can pull up and show to any French officials 24 by 7. And now that I’ve read the official policy positions of our CDC, State Department, US embassy, French embassy as well webmd, Mayo clinic and most importantly the Cleveland Clinic, I think I am well prepared to keep it simple. Once less thing to worry about! (I still worry that as an American, I am expected to over-tip when in France and I struggle with which percentage is the right percentage to over-tip.)

Although if I reduce salt, increase fruits and vegetables, exercise more and become vegan, there is decent chance I can get off both of these medications and nothing is simpler than that. Maybe for next trip!

Happy travels!

Everyone can do as they deem best. I have no problems with that. But I don’t like inaccurate information on the forum. No FrankII, it doesn’t have to be complicated.

It’s just not factual that it never happens. I searched and got hits. One country has gotten so bad that at least one other country is warning their citizens to be in full compliance if they go as a tourist. There is one company that did do a survey, and the results were 1 in 10 Americans have had to explain their meds or had them confiscated. But there are not many stories about people having problems, is that evidence? If customs took your Sudafed at the border, would you call the news? (Sudafed is a big no-no in some countries, I believe that includes some in the EU).

And it’s not factual that no country requires original packaging. I know of two countries that do.

And it’s not factual that the majority of tourist use pill organizers … No one has done a study or a survey that I can find – so why would someone say that? The question is on the RS Facebook right now and the majority that answered the question as of a few minutes ago said yes to original packaging.

And not all countries in the EU have the same requirements. They all do have a base set of requirements, but some have added to that base line.

But that just takes us back to finding the facts of the law for where you are going and making an educated decision.

Gold standard: Original packaging, signed letter from your doc, and detailed list of your meds from your pharmacy that is cross checked against potential regulated drugs in France. For instance, just because you can get a prescription for magic mushrooms in Oregon and you can get a doctor’s note and you can get something from your pharmacy does mean it is good idea to take a supply of magic mushrooms in France— although I’m not sure all rock performers follow this sage advice.

I recall when Jean Valjean steals a loaf of bread because his sister and her starving children have nothing to eat and he also brought a 1 week supply of his Flomax in his daily pill planner which helped him sleep through the night without having to get up in the middle of the night to relieve himself . Anyway, this desperate act leads to a harsh 19-year prison sentence (five years for the theft and the rest for repeated escape attempts and for smuggling Flomax), shaping the entire trajectory of his life and his pursuit by the inspector Javert. So one can never be too careful!

Anyway, I worry that advice can sometime be too prescriptive. Get it? It’s a pun! Oh, never mind.

I suggest we all read all the various and sundry links on this subject and consult with our doctors and ambassadors and then have a great time! France! Is there a better place to visit?

Happy travels

One country has gotten so bad that at least one other country is warning their citizens to be in full compliance if they go as a tourist.

You pulled this one before. It turned out the "European" country was Macedonia. In this case, I don't even think the country you are talking about is in Europe. The only European country being warned about is Greece and only medication warned about is "codeine." A controlled substance.

David, you are too funny! Made me laugh.
I recently made myself crazed about taking my regular meds (and some PRN pain meds) to France a few months ago, having read their regulations. My meds were in pharmacy bottles, but had to put some into smaller ones (Kaiser will put 10 pills in a bottle big enough for 100...so I ripped the labels off and put them on the smaller bottles). Also printed out all my meds from the Kaiser pharmacy website. Got off our flight, walked through CDG and right out the door. I've read some people do get stopped, but I've also read it is rare...we didn't see any officials anywhere checking people as they left the airport.....so Rob, just take your necessary meds and make sure you don't take Flomax like Jean Valjean.....🤣

The second poster, Carrie, answered your question with the easily-understood French government link.

Most of the opinions and warnings that followed, including links to non-French government websites, are overkill and distracting from the simple answer to a simple question question.