We’ll be direct: YES! You can travel with prescriptions, even with scheduled medications such as testosterone. Here are tips for travelling – specifically, flying – with prescriptions.
Preparing to Travel With Prescriptions
- Do pack them in your carry on.
- Temperatures in the cargo hold may damage your meds.
- If your luggage is lost or delayed, you may lose access to your meds.
- Keep your meds in an official, labelled container. The label should include:
- Your full name – it should match your travel identification,
- Your prescriber’s name
- The generic and brand name of the medication
- The exact dosage
- Don’t overpack: bring what you need, plus a little extra in case of travel delays. Conserve your supply at home if you’re not travelling for the full length of your prescription. We like to recommend bringing one extra week of medication.
- Personal Note: ask Facilitator Unicorn Nora about having their backpack searched when coming into the USA from Mexico. They were rushing on departure, had just gotten new 90-day supplies of meds, and put them all in their carryon. Thankfully, the border agent believed that the meds were not acquired during the trip!
- If you receive 90 days of meds at a time? Ask your pharmacist to portion part of your prescription in a smaller labelled container for travelling, or to place a label directly on your prescription vial/pump/container instead of on the packaging box.
- If you take multiple oral meds, don’t combine them into a single vial.
- Don’t portion them into a daily pill container before you arrive at your destination.
- So bulky?
- Injectables? Consider asking for a 1mL vial if you typically receive a 5mL or 10 mL vial.
- Use a gel in a pump? Consider asking for packets for less mess and bulk!
- Bring a written copy of your prescription. Often, the paperwork that comes with your meds is sufficient.
- Leave a copy of your prescription or your pharmacy details with a trusted person at home, in case you need an emergency fill.
But what about syringes and needles?
Yes! You can bring syringes and needles in your carry-on.
What about the clear 1-quart bag with all containers less than 3.4 ounces rule?
It does not apply to prescriptions!
- The 3.4 ounce rule does not apply to medications. If you have liquid medications, you can bring as much as you’ll need for the trip.
- Your prescriptions DO NOT need to be in a clear 1-quart bag along with your toiletries.
- It is a good idea to have all of your meds in one overall container rather than loose in your carryon or tucked into multiple pockets.
- Consider creating your own personal med pack containing your supplies and documents.
- We love injection supplies bags created by and for trans folk. Check out:
- Stealth Bros & Co.
- Transguy Supply
- Independent shops on Etsy and other crafter platforms. We can’t guarantee that these makers are trans, but here’s a sample Etsy search.
- Something a little more discreet? Consider an insulin carry case- they’re designed to hold a vial or two and syringes. You won’t need ice packs, however.
- If TSA wants to inspect your meds, you can ask for a private screening, if that would help you feel safer.
Traveling Abroad?
Here’s what the CDC recommends:
- Check with the embassy in your destination country to make sure your meds are legal or if you need additional documentation to bring meds into your destination country legally.
- Handy country-by-country guidelines for travelling with restricted medicines.
- Learn about your destination via the U.S. Department of State
- Bring a copy of your prescription. It may be wise to obtain a letter of treatment need from your prescriber, as well.
- Most countries allow you to bring 30 days of meds. Travelling for longer than 30 days? Talk to your prescriber about your options (this can include shipping refills abroad, obtaining prescriptions in your destination country, and longer-term options such as testosterone implants and estrogen pellets.
At The Airport: Going Through Security
- If you have liquid medications and/or syringes and needles: Do let them know that you have prescriptions in your carryon: “I have medically necessary liquids and/or prescriptions, including syringes and needles.”
- You can download and use this TSA Screening Notification Card if you don’t want to verbally announce your meds.
- Pull them out so that they are accessible in your screening tub.
- Consider TSA Pre-Check. After successful enrollment, during which you’ll be pre-screened and fingerprinted, you are able to be in a separate security line with different screening, and less likelihood that you’ll go through a scanner. You can also register with Pre-Check using a different gender marker than what is on your ID and tickets. Here’s the FAQ.
- Listen to Imara Jones talking about travel and TSA Pre-Check on episode 77 of the TransLash Podcast (talk about TSA-Pre starts around the 35:40 mark.
Other Resources for Traveling While Trans
- The TSA Gender Diversity statement
- The screening machine algorithm was updated in June 2023. Supposedly it is more inclusive now.
- You can request a pat-down instead of going through the machine. If you request one, or are selected for a pat-down, you can request an officer of the gender you feel most comfortable with.
- You can also request screening in private.
- You can request that your travel companion goes with you.
- You should not be asked to lift or take off any clothing to reveal private parts.
- TransEquality’s Know Your Rights: Airport Security
- CDC: Traveling Abroad with Medicine
- FDA: Traveling with Prescription Medications
- Unclockable’s Travel Tips
