Carrying Over the Counter Drugs

I've been going to Italy for fifteen years and I always bring Advil, etc. I also recommend bringing bandaids, neosporin, etc. in case of blisters. I've never had an issue having them question these items.

Italy has tougher restrictions on the sale of what we consider OTC drugs like Advil, and it requires standing in line in the pharmacy and then describing what ails you to receive the Advil or whatever. That's why I bring my own.

Since the customs procedure in Europe usually involves you walking through the green lane that says "nothing to declare," usually with no visible interest from customs agents, the issue has never come up for our many traveling staff. Of course, anyone actually suspected of carrying something illegal can be inspected more closely.

Nope. They don't care.

I've never had an issue, and I've been to Europe for extended periods many times.

Neither OTC or prescription meds have to be in their original bottles. Nor do you need a copy of the Rx. It IS helpful to have a list of everything you take (generic/chemical names when possible) so that in an emergency you can show it to a medical professional. You may organize your meds or pack them as you desire. Use daily pill cases, tiny ziplocs, etc. TSA does not care. as for entry into European countries, as others have said, you walk through a 'nothing to declare' area.

I carry both prescription and OTC drugs for up to 90 days at a time and no one has ever questioned either. I do have generic names and labels (if not the original bottles) in case I need to explain it to a pharmacist or doctor.

You only want to bring a Rx in case you need to get a refill and it will make it easier for the local doctor to understand and write the prescription. Just be sure it is 90 days and not three months. A couple of days can get very expensive if caught.

Linda,

To follow Frank - unless you have organised other visas or citizenship, if you will be on a Schengen Visa waiver programme, you need to know that the Schengen limit is 90 days including both arrival and departure day, not 3 months...

My husband has creams for a skin condition and he has Asthma meds and we have never been asked anything flying to Europe. He keeps them in a separate zip bag and just puts them out so they can see them. Also if you have favorite over the counter meds I would bring them. I love the coated Advil in England, does'nt up set my stomach, but other things for allergies or colds I have never found what I use at home. The pharmacists are fantastic in Europe them will give you every thing you need. Last year in Paris our friend picked up the wrong batteries for his hearing aids packing and we went to a pharmacy and no problem buying the ones he needed.

I put my OTC and prescription meds in a long zippered nylon bag that came with my RS luggage and in a drawstring mesh bag I also got from RS store, and I just put them in my carry-on's mesh compartment and never remove them, and Security has never disturbed them.

And my 3-3-1 bag contains different shaped and sized tubes, bottles, and jars with No problem.

No one cares. In 50 years of travel,and these days it is with tons of prescription and OTC meds, no one has every given them a second glance. The one exception is that if you are carrying injectable drugs and syringes, you would certainly want to be well documented. It is probably sensible to have a list of your prescription drugs from your doc if only to assist if you need to acquire them abroad. I'd just pack what you need and not give it a thought. For large quantities I'd use original packaging to be prudent.

In Italy it is a hassle to get a strip of 10 Ibuprofen in a little blister pack and it costs many times what it would in the US. We carry our own. If you do find a need though you can get equivalent drugs at the pharmacy.

Along with ibuprofen being expensive, Benadryl is impossible to get anywhere in Italy. Even if you had a prescription. It's just not available for sale. I learned that the hard way.

linda,

While it's a few years old, you may find it helpful to have a look at THIS article on the subject. One medication that is strictly banned in some countries is Codeine, even for those with a prescription.

There's also THIS article that has some good tips.

Thanks, everyone! Your answers just made my trip a ton easier to plan and pack for!

Linda

There are a few places, like Dubai, that seem to care. But not Europe.

Since many countries prohibit combining multiple over-the-counter drugs into single doses, you may want to carry familiar products (like cold remedies) that you may or may not actually use. Otherwise you may face a language problem with the pharmacy clerk where you are trying to buy, say, three products that are usually in one, on open shelves, in the U.S., but "behind the counter" in the country you are visiting. This has happened to me in rural France.