Clearing Prescription Medicine
To expedite the customs clearance procedure, and to avoid costly and
inconvenient delays, do not include prescription medication in your
household goods shipment. Instead, carry all prescription drugs with
you as you enter the country or mail the medication into the States.
The United States limits the importation of prescription drugs for
personal use to a supply of three months or less.
Do not consolidate your prescription
medications into one container. Instead, keep your medicine in separate
vials clearly labeled (in English) with the name of the medication and
prescribing doctor, the dosage and directions for use. Medication
mailed into the States is routinely inspected. If your medication does
not contain sufficient documentation, the product will be detained
until you provide the required paperwork.
It also is helpful to secure a
letter from your doctor explaining the medications prescribed. Such a
letter also could prove invaluable in an emergency situation. This type
of documentation is especially important for those (such as diabetics)
whose medication is administered via hypodermic injection.
The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration prohibits the importation of drugs it has determined to
be dangerous of fraudulent. This includes unorthodox "cures." To find
out if your medication is included in this category, contact a local
U.S. consulate or embassy, or the U.S. Customs Service.
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