I'm traveling outside Canada. What should I do about my prescription drugs?

Canadian regulations and laws do not apply outside Canada. When you travel outside Canada with prescribed medication, you should carry proof of need. This will help ensure that you are always considered in legal possession of your required medicine.

What is considered proof of need?
Proof of need includes proper identification on the pharmacy label indicating the contents, dosage and a Drug Identification Number (DIN), and possibly a note of explanation from your doctor. This information is essential especially if your medication is lost or stolen or when travelling in a country that is particularly sensitive about drugs.

What quantity of prescription drugs can I take with me outside Canada?

The Health Products and Food Branch Inspectorate (HPFBI) of Health Canada advises carrying sufficient quantities of a prescription medication for the length of your stay. When travelling you should always keep your medicine in an easily accessible place like hand luggage. Also, remember to follow the storage information shown on the prescription. For instance, some medication must remain refrigerated. Your pharmacist or doctor can guide you on how best to store your medicine when travelling.

I am returning to Canada with a medication not available in Canada. What can I do?

The HPFBI allows you, as an individual, to import a three-month supply of a prescription medicine. This medicine must be for you or an immediate family member. You must personally bring the drug over the border in hospital or pharmacy dispensed packaging. Upon your return you should inform your own doctor about the prescribed treatment.

Over-the-counter drugs are subject to the same personal import limits as prescription drugs. You may return to Canada with a three-month supply for your personal use or for an immediate family member.

What about traveling with non-prescription drugs?

Some non-prescription drugs available in Canada are not recognized as non-prescription drugs in other countries. If you are unsure about traveling with a non-prescription medicine, consult your pharmacist or doctor.

Can prescription medicines be shipped to me from outside Canada?

According to the Food and Drug Act Regulations, prescription medicines cannot be shipped to you from outside Canada. However, in order to prevent delays or interrupt a course of treatment or other situations in which refusal of a shipment at the border could create a health risk, inspectors may allow entry of an initial 3-month supply of a drug, if the drug is packaged in hospital or pharmacy dispensed packaging. At this time, the recipient will be informed that all future shipments will be detained and that either a Canadian source should be used or that their doctor should obtain a foreign supply through the Special Access Programme for drugs not available in Canada.