Health article
Travel health before you fly: the part that is not vaccines
Most trip-ruining health problems are not exotic. They are a prescription confiscated at a border, a week of stomach trouble with nothing in the bag, or a hospital bill abroad. Here is what to sort out before you go.
Travelling with your own medicines
Border officials can inspect medicines on the way out and on the way back in. This is the Government of Canada's advice, in the order to do it.
Check your medicines are legal where you are going
Some prescription and over-the-counter medicines, supplements and herbal products that are legal in Canada are illegal elsewhere or need approval in advance. The country's embassy or consulate in Canada can confirm it.
Pack enough for the whole trip
Some medicines are not sold in other countries at all. Bring enough for every day you will be away.
Keep everything in its original labelled container
Not a pill organizer for the flight. The pharmacy label is what tells an official what the medicine is and who it belongs to.
Carry a list and a copy of the prescription
With both the generic and brand names, in case anything is lost or stolen. Your pharmacist can give you a list of all your medications. A note from your doctor explaining why you take them is also recommended.
Put it all in your carry-on
Medicines and medical supplies stay with you, not in the hold. Check CATSA's rules for liquids, needles and medical devices before you pack.
What goes in a travel health kit
Adapted from the Government of Canada's travel health kit list. Take what fits your trip, not all of it.
Your regular medicines
Prescription and over-the-counter, plus an epinephrine auto-injector or antihistamine if you have been prescribed one.
For the common problems
Pain and fever relief, an anti-diarrhoeal, oral rehydration salts, motion sickness tablets, antacids, and cold and cough remedies.
For cuts, blisters and bites
Bandages, antiseptic wipes, blister pads, tweezers, 1% hydrocortisone cream, and an insect repellent containing DEET or icaridin.
Paperwork
Your immunization record, proof of travel insurance, and a card with your emergency contacts and medical information.
Medicines that depend on where you are going
Some trips need more than a vaccine. Malaria prevention is tablets, not a vaccine. Traveller's diarrhoea is common enough that a prevention plan, and sometimes a treatment to carry, is part of planning for many destinations. High-altitude trips raise their own questions.
Which of these your trip needs depends on exactly where you are going and what you will be doing there. That is what the travel consultation is for, so bring your itinerary.
While you are away, and when you get back
Do not buy medicines abroad unless a health professional has advised it. Counterfeit medicines and vaccines exist, and they may not work or may contain things not on the label. If you do receive a vaccine or medicine abroad, keep the packaging or photograph the label, and show it to a health care provider when you are home.
Medical care outside Canada can be very expensive. Have travel insurance that covers it, including the cost of replacing a prescription, and check what your own benefits plan already includes before you buy more.
If you feel unwell during the trip or after you get back, tell whoever sees you where you have been. It changes what they look for.
Common questions
How far ahead should I see a travel clinic?
About 6 weeks before you leave, which is the Government of Canada's advice. Some vaccines need more than one dose spread over weeks, so earlier gives you more options. If you are leaving sooner, still come in.
Can the pharmacy give me a list of my medications for travel?
Yes. Ask the pharmacist for a list of everything you take. It is one of the documents the Government of Canada recommends carrying.
Do I need a doctor's note to fly with my prescriptions?
It is recommended rather than required in most cases. Keep medicines in their original labelled containers, carry a copy of the prescription, and check the rules of the country you are visiting, because some medicines legal in Canada are restricted elsewhere.