I live in England but travel to Spain several times a year, this year is my first time i will be using humira, any advise on transport?. i believe i can get a letter off the drugs company.
I have only flown within the US with my meds, but here is what I have discovered:
A lot of people fly with injectible meds now. I always have the medication (in my case it was Enbrel, or Simponi) in the original prescription box. I would carry it in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack. In my case, the ice pack was the problem every time. I would just explain that THIS medication needed to be kept cold (which is says on the original box), and I would need to hand over the ice pack to be checked. After that, not trouble.
I think travelling with meds is not as unusual as it used to be, there are millions of us on these injectibles, not to mention people carrying insulin and other meds around. I can't imagine any trouble as long as you have the original box, a letter from your dr., and friendliness and cooperation on your part.
Flying within the US, we are not allowed gels or half-liquidy things on the plain over 3 oz. I take a hard sided ice pack and make sure it is frozen solid. If it was melted, or one that felt squishier, I might have to throw it out and that could wreck my meds.
Totally agree with Marietta. I am also in the US and travel freauently for work - several weeks a month. I also carry my Humira in a small lunch bag type cooler with a solid ice pack. Yes they will throw away the soft gel ones - learned that the hard way. Be sure that is is in the original perscription box where it clearly states what it is and has that it must be refrigerated on it. It is is not in the original box with instructions they may not let it thru - hasen't happened to me but a TSA agent told me that if I didn't have it in the box but just had the shot they would not have cleared it. I also have to carry an epi pen for allergies and have actually had more problems with it than I have the Humira. Above all, be really nice to the TSA or whatever yours are called. These people will either help you clear with no problems or make your life miserable.So many people travel with meds now, I really see myself and others clearing without too many problems.
I just (very nervously) flew out of Aus, through Hong Kong, then Paris, and into Africa with Enbrel. They all knew what an epipen was, and in my case I just carried the original prescription with me, which was recorded in Hong Kong, but basically ignored otherwise.
Here in Aus, Enbrel have a special hotline you can call, and they will send you a special insulated travel pack for free. You just put it in the freezer (the pack, not the Enbrel), and it lasts for 24 hours. So mine wasn’t in original packaging, but with ice packs obviously custom designed for the meds. Perhaps you could check if the makers of Humira have a hotline in the UK and offer something similar?