Vitamins and Medications

sidecar

We travel with daily packages of vitamins -- fish oil, multi, etc. Does anyone know if there is a problem bringing these into Australia/NZ. Our prescriptions are in their original containers, but not the vitamins (too many large bottles to carry). Would appreciate any advice on this.

TauckTim

Hi Sidecar,

Generally speaking, if you're bringing a small amount of prescription medications (less than three months, which will certainly apply here) into Australia, there's no issue. I'm not certain about supplements, nor was I able to find much on the internet. I'd advise calling or emailing your local embassy. They will be a good starting point, if they don't already have the information. I suspect it will depend upon exactly what vitamins you're bringing -- but there most likely won't be any problems.

I hope this helps!

-Tim

sidecar

Thank you Tim. I have emailed the embassy and will post the reply when I hear back in case anyone else has the same question.

jdurkin

Hi sidecar,

I am aware that most Americans don't travel for long periods at a time. Most Australians do travel for longer periods ... we are further away from many parts of the world and we just get on with it. Let me tell you how I deal with a fairly normal trip of 6-7 weeks .... regardless of where in the world I'm travelling.

I follow Tauck's advice (see the Before You Go section on the page here for your trip) and make sure I have ALL my dedication (including similar vitamins & supplements to you) in my hand luggage. I also have originals of any prescriptions and the usual medical letter from my doctor listing all medications. My medications come in blister packs. I cut up the cardboard packets, leaving just the part that contains the pharmacy sticker which identifies the contents. I use an elastic band to bind the "packet" back together. This reduces the overall bulk of the necessary 6 week supply considerably! The bundles go into a ziplock bag together with the prescriptions ... in my hand luggage ... ready to be shown to any customs official who asks. I also carry at least one of each vitamin type in it's original (usually plastic) tub in my hand luggage, too. I have been asked to "explain" the contents on occasion. Once the tub was shown ... all was well. I work on the principle that I want to make it easy for officials (and thus myself) to negotiate airports & immigration checks. Once I get where I'm going I tip all the vitamins into a ziplock bag and rejoice in the extra space!

If all else fails, do remember you are not travelling to another planet, third world country or somewhere you cannot with relative ease buy new supplies ... especially those bulky supplements (possibly even the same brand!).

I am neither a medical nor an immigration or customs professional. It is important that you seek and understand advice pertinent to your individual situation. I am merely passing on what I hope are useful travel tips.

Cheers,

Jan

British

I am talking medications here, not vitamins and supplements. Every country has different rules and regulations. Many drugs available by PRESCRIPTION in the US are not available in other countries, even some relatively commonly prescribed medications in the US. If you have copies of prescriptions or the name of the drug with you, this will help you get replacements in Australia, or wherever you are. The same drug may be called a different name in another country, even if it is not a generic one. Having the name of your drugs and doses with you will at least help a Doctor in the visited country find an equivalent drug for you in an emergency. As far as taking none FDA approved vitamins and supplements, that's another whole discussion.
Australia does seem to have some extra stiff rules on prescriptions.

sidecar

Thank you for your responses. I'm not bringing prescription drugs, only vitamins. I usually pack these in small baggies, one for each day, and since there are 12 supplements between my husband and I, bringing bottles, which are sometimes quite large, for each one, would fill up our luggage. We only bring carry on luggage. So, just trying to find out if we can do this. I emailed the Australian embassy and they responded with the information for prescription drugs. Have emailed them again, hoping to make my request clearer. There doesn't seem to be any clear cut information on this. Jan, I'm looking at what you said about carrying one of each kind of vitamin in its original bottle. Wonder if I cut the labels off the bottles and put them all in one of the packets, if this would work. Guess I'll just have to find out when we get there. Looking forward to the trip. Australia and NZ are countries we have always wanted to visit.

jdurkin

Hi sidecar,

First up, I have to wonder why on earth anyone would embark on what so many Americans say is the trip of a lifetime to see Australia (albeit just a mere smidgen in 11 days!) and not bring actual luggage! I don't understand why you would do that? Is it a personal challenge that has endured since your free-wheeling, 20 something backpacking days? I understand we all have our personal travel traditions, but usually by the time we grow up we abandon some of the more contrary ones. You don't need to project your qualms regarding the luggage handling by US domestic carriers onto trans-Pacific or domestic Australian carriers. Honestly. I'm not throwing stones .... I really am just wondering why you would choose to travel without luggage for a Tauck holiday where everything is done for you.

Back to your question about vitamins & supplements. The aim of the border authorities is to prevent the importation of illegal substances. They want to know what you are carrying. If it were me, I'd stick to the suggestion of having one set of everything you are taking in their original packaging. Your position is to make it easy for the authorities to see, understand and decide to let you into the country without any fuss. You want to make it as easy as possible for them to give approval. Their side of fence is to understand what you are carrying as quickly as possible and decide if any of it is contrary to local law. There will be others in the queue behind you so they don't want to make what should be a simple, straightforward situation difficult or confrontational.

And keep in mind, Melbourne is a large, cosmopolitan city of over 4 million people. We have pharmacies and "drug stores" here, too. You will be able to find suitable vitamins & supplements very close to your hotel before you head out of town to see your tourist sites. Promise.

Cheers,

Jan

British

I am not sure why you would worry so much about vitamins Sidecar. Unless you have an underlying condition that prevents your body from absorbing food adequately, or your diet is devoid of any decent food, then you probably will be fine without your vitamins for the duration of your vacation. The only exception might be keeping up with calcium supplements especially if you are female and past a certain age. Vitamin D will certainly be taken care of in the Australian sunshine. Whoops, this is a travel forum, I'll stop right there.

sidecar

Thank you all again for your good advice. I did hear back from the Australian embassy. Vitamins and supplements are treated the same as prescription medications. Should be in their original packaging. I guess the answer is to just eliminate the ones that are not essential. We travel with only carry on luggage (a hard sided luggage with wheels and a large bag that slips over the handle of the suitcase -- no backpacks) as we have had previous situations where luggage was delayed. We find we can carry everything we need in the carry ons and not worry about whether our luggage makes it onto the next plane if, for instance, our flight is delayed. From where we live, there is never a direct flight. Always have to change planes, usually three times. I realize its not for everyone, but it works for us.

cantraveller

I had no problem with prescriptions in their original bottles, however, they took away some of my supplements also in their original bottles. Customs can be a little difficult in Australia. Make sure you declare any candy when you go in or you can b fined for not declaring food.
Gary

sidecar

Gary, what kind of supplements did they take away?

Sue M

I am glad this topic came up. I am not on prescription meds and have always put my vitamins/calcium pills in a ziplock. Now I will keep them in their original containers.
I assume then that items like tylenol, cold meds, etc should also be in the original containers and also put in the carryon bag.
A few questions: Can a bottle of mouthwash (about 7oz) be packed in the checked bag?
And...once we are in Australia, can the vitamins, etc be transferred to a ziplock or should they remain in their containers? I am wondering, because we do have so many flights within Australia and then we fly from Australia to New Zealand.
Sue

Salmcg

Can the vitamins be put in your checked luggage or do they check that also?? I hate the thought of bringing all those bottles.

cantraveller

What they took was my glucosamine which was in my checked bag. Since being there I have seen where they don't like steroids or most supplements we use. This is a very difficult country to enter so declare everything.
Gary

Sue M

From what I am reading, it sounds like any vitamin, medicine, candy, energy bar etc etc. should be packed in the carryon where it can be gotten to easily.
In an earlier email though, I asked about things like larger tubes of toothpaste or mouthwash...toiletries that are too large in size for the carryon. Can those be packed in the checked bag and allowed through?

cantraveller

Sue, had no problem with these and they should be in your checked luggage.
Gary

sahuaro

What about customs in New Zealand? Would you still need the original packaging for vitamins and supplements?

jdurkin

As a generality (you should always check directly with New Zealand if you are in any doubt ...via their web site, perhaps?) New Zealand has very similar regulations to Australia. If anything, they are stricter as regards food. I realise, technically, you consume vitamins, but they aren't generally considered food. Are you with me? In all things, we are talking common sense. The authorities want to determine, as quickly and efficiently as possible, what you are bringing into their country. Your job is to make it as easy for them as you can, so you set out to accomplish that in the most logical and practical way as you can. If you have travelled directly from Australia (with similar rules & regs) and you are doing your best in the "good will" stakes ... that is trying to be helpful and a good world citizen ... I'm inclined to think the NZ authorities will treat you more kindly than someone who they think is hiding something. I always think it's easier to get something out of a carry on bag to show a customs official than it is to have to empty your suitcase in the secure, air side area.

Common sense works in most countries. Of course, that assumption does sometimes put some travellers between a rock and a dumb place.

Cheers,

Jan

sahuaro

Thanks for your reply--but, ugh, it means schlepping all those original bottles throughout the trip...

jdurkin

Not necessarily. If you read back through the whole of this thread, I do give some practical suggestions. You are only travelling for ... what? A very short time of around 3 weeks. And, since you are not travelling to third world countries, and do you have free time in very large, cosmopolitan cities, it is possible for you to re-stock on vitamins en route.

Claudia Sails

Jan, your advice was helpful if medications/supplements come in blister packs. Unfortunately, in the US most pills come in bottles. Supplements are especially bad about using oversized bottles. So if original containers are required it could be a hassle.

On last year's trip, along with printed copies of prescriptions I down sized them to the smallest possible bottle from the pharmacy (luckily my pharmacy's labels peel off and re-stick easily). For over the counter meds/supplements where possible I used either a very small bottle or blister pack. If not, it went unmarked in a small pill container. I figured if they got tossed I wasn't going to worry about it. Only the prescription meds were really important.

There may be differences between the US and Australian supplements market. Ours is still pretty free-for-all with very little regulation. An acquaintance noted after a trip down under that she saw some real differences in what was available. She thought it was bad, I think we need a little more regulation here but that's another topic. But as another poster said, most supplements you can do without if worst comes to worst.

jdurkin

What a shame you didn't pop in with your definitive advice for American travellers earlier, Claudia. This could have been one thread I didn't need to monitor. I generally assume it is an American traveller asking these questions, but I can't actually know that. Of course you know that Tauck does not limit their trips just to your fellow citizens. Other people read these threads and sift the the answers for relevance to them. And the threads become, after time, a resource for future research by all sorts of people from who knows where in the world. However, I will be mindful of your admonition and in the future endeavour to tailor my replies accordingly.

Claudia Sails

Since I had no idea what Australian or New Zealand customs officers might have a problem with supplements wise, I didn't have anything to add.

Between TSA rules, customs, and local availability, it's pretty complicated for any of us to figure out what to pack wrt medications or supplements.

Blister packs are definitely a good solution when available.