Prescriptions

Simple mistakes could not only invalidate travel insurance but also leave the medication ineffective or even ‘unsafe’

A warning has been issued to thousands of people who will be travelling abroad on weight loss treatments this summer as mistakes could mean they are not only ineffective but could be “unsafe” to use. Millions of people currently use the jabs to help weight loss but there are strict rules around their use.

A survey by ZAVA found an estimated 337,000 people will holiday on Mounjaro or Wegovy this summer however if it is not carried and stored correctly it can be left “ineffective”. Experts at the firm have now provided three tips for travelling with Mounjaro and Wegovy, alongside the most important things to know before heading off.

You could be invalidating your travel insurance

When taking out travel insurance, you often need to declare any pre-existing conditions during an online application or by calling your insurer directly. Failing to declare the use of weight loss treatment could render your policy invalid, leaving you unable to make a claim should something go wrong, which could result in a bill worth thousands of pounds.

You should also check import restrictions to any country you are travelling to and verify if the medication can be brought into the country and how much you’re allowed to carry for personal use. Make sure to also take evidence of your prescription with you, whether it be in paper or digital form, and that your treatment is in its original packaging.

Insurers like Admiral don’t typically cover GLP-1 injections bought from an unofficial programme, if a medical professional isn’t monitoring them or hasn’t been declared. It is strongly advisable to follow up with a direct call to your insurer to confirm everything is properly documented. When in doubt, contact your insurer and your GP before travelling.

Storing jabs in hold luggage could freeze your medication

Putting injection weight loss treatments in with checked luggage can be a huge risk. The compartments where checked baggage is stored undergo huge changes in temperature and pressure that may alter the effectiveness of, or even damage, your medication. It can get very cold and may freeze and unfreeze the liquid in the pen, making the injections unsafe to take. Make sure to take a carry-on bag with you to store your medication in.

Essential liquid medicines are allowed through security, even if they are over 100ml; security often advises keeping medicines separate in your bag where possible, informing the Security Officer and bringing supporting documentation if possible. After this step, make sure that your medication stays in its original packaging. If you have any specific queries about carry-on luggage and medication, contact your airline provider.

Not having access to a fridge could damage your medication

Both Mounjaro and Wegovy must be stored by following the guidelines outlined in the patient information leaflets. The medication may be kept in a refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C or stored at room temperature, provided it does not exceed 30°C, for a maximum of 28-30 days.

Any pens exposed to temperatures above 30°C, or left unrefrigerated for more than 28 days for Wegovy and 30 days for Mounjaro, should be discarded immediately, as it could be unsafe to take. Patients travelling with weight loss injections are advised to contact their accommodation in advance to confirm refrigerator access and to verify that the appliance maintains an appropriate temperature, as this can vary between units. As the jabs are administered once weekly, most patients will use each pen within the 30-day unrefrigerated window, unless travel is extended or a dose is missed.

Kevin Turner is in intensive care and his family will need to pay the bill – and the cost of getting him home

A dad faces a £30,000 medical bill after falling ill on holiday because he didn’t declare a common ailment on his travel insurance. Kevin Turner flew to Alicante with his partner Joy Peck in May after feeling poorly the week before with a chest infection.

After taking antibiotics and steroids, the 63-year-old said he felt assured by his GP that he was ‘good to go’ and was prescribed more medication to account for being away. The retired painter and decorator felt ‘off’ when he landed but put it down to the journey. It was when his chest pains worsened the following day that Joy called an ambulance.

After being rushed to a hospital in Alicante, doctors discovered Kevin had a pierced lung and pneumonia and he was put in intensive care. Despite having holiday insurance, Kevin’s family says his medical bills aren’t covered as he didn’t declare his chest infection before travelling – meaning he faces bills of at least £30,000.

Kevin’s daughters Sam Turner, 44, and Natalie Fowell, 40, have set up a GoFundMe to help pay his medical bills and get him home to the UK. Sam, from Winsford, Cheshire, said: “It was really, really scary because obviously you’re helpless. You’re over here and you don’t know what’s going on.

“He did have an existing chest infection that he had visited the doctor for that week and had been given antibiotics and steroids. He did also say that he was due to go on holiday and there were no warnings or concerns around that [from the GP] so he thought he was good to go.

“They just gave him enough medication for the fact that he was going away and that was it. He’d arrived at midnight, had something to eat and drink and gone to bed, feeling a bit off but just put it down to travel. It got progressively worse from there.

“By the next day the pains were just so much that in hindsight he probably already had pneumonia when he got on the flight, but he wasn’t aware. Joy rang me from the hotel and said ‘I’ve had to call him an ambulance, he’s not good’ and we were like ‘right, ok get him to the hospital’, trying to get updates all the time.

“They [doctors] said he had a pierced lung and chest and stomach pain where it’s believed air and gases had built up and had to be drained.”

Wedding co-ordinator Sam flew out to be with her dad on May 30 to be by his bedside. After contacting the insurance company, Sam says she was told that Kevin’s medical bills wouldn’t be covered as he didn’t declare the ongoing chest infection on his travel insurance before flying.

The cost of his bills is estimated to be £30,000, but as Kevin is still in intensive care it may rise. You can donate to Kevin’s GoFundMe here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-kevs-recovery-and-journey-home

Sam said: “It very much looks like it’s a case of, the small print says if there are any significant health changes up to the date of travel then you must notify them. He’s still in intensive care and we’re trying to find out what the prognosis is.

“He hasn’t been out of bed, he hasn’t used his legs or feet and he’s just really worried because he’s lost all feeling in them. The insurance took about two weeks for them to decide that they weren’t going to pay out. It involved a lot of chasing from us.

“I would always say read the small print of the insurance document, make sure you go with a reputable company and look at their reviews.”

P&O Cruises passengers are urged to check the rules for their destination before packing certain medications

P&O Cruises passengers heading to specific destinations worldwide are being advised to pay special attention to the medications they bring. The cruise operator is a favoured option for countless Britons, carrying between 500,000 and 600,000 travellers annually.

P&O Cruises operates a fleet of seven vessels. This collection features both family-oriented choices and adult-only ships, spanning from massive floating resorts to more intimate, traditional boats. All the ships go to numerous nations, including Norway, the Caribbean, and the Canary Islands.

For those with bookings to Japan or voyages exploring the Arabian Gulf, it’s essential to verify what medications are permitted. These nations enforce stringent regulations, and particular medicines are prohibited for personal import and non-prescription use.

This includes codeine, which is frequently found in paracetamol tablets. On the P&O Cruises website, the operator outlines all the crucial information passengers require, reports the Liverpool Echo.

It states: “Please be aware that some prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, complementary therapies and other medicines that are purchased in the UK may be illegal in the United Arab Emirates and are therefore banned in the country. Japan also has rules regarding such medication. Penalties can be severe if banned substances are found when entering these countries.”

It states: “Codeine, for example, is banned and no products containing codeine, which may include paracetamol, may be imported or sold in the United Arab Emirates. An import Certificate from the Japanese or UAE Authorities would be required in order to take such products into the countries, and this does not guarantee the products will be permitted.”

According to the NHS, codeine is a potent opioid painkiller and is often combined with paracetamol to treat moderate pain that standard paracetamol alone cannot alleviate. This combination is typically known as co-codamol.

Codeine is categorised as a narcotic. You’re prohibited from bringing it into Japan for personal use without obtaining strict prior authorisation. Codeine is also designated as a controlled substance in the UAE.

If you’re taking medication and have any uncertainty, contact the appropriate embassy before your arrival:

• United Arab Emirates London Embassy Medical Department: 020 7486 6281
• Japanese Embassy: 0207 465 6500
• You may also check for further information at www.fco.gov.uk.

P&O Cruises also advises that anyone travelling with medications and/or syringes should carry a prescription. It clarifies: “All medications should be kept in their labelled dispensing bottles or packages. If the medications are ‘controlled’ or injectable drugs, it is also advisable to carry a doctor’s letter.

“For the United Arab Emirates, it is essential to carry a prescription for any medication, as well as a medical report if you are travelling with syringes or other medical equipment. We strongly advise you to seek advice if any of the above affects you.”

The airline advises passengers to avoid putting it in their hold luggage if possible

EasyJet says passengers should keep one type of item with them, ideally in their hand luggage rather than their check-in bags. All passengers can bring one small under-seat cabin bag per person on board for free. It can be a maximum size of 45 x 36 x 20 cm (including any handles and wheels) and must be kept under the seat in front of you.

Regarding what travellers should keep in their hand luggage or handbags, the airline stresses the importance of carrying any medication so it’s always within reach. A statement on EasyJet‘s website reads: “We do advise you to pack your medication in your hand luggage where possible, especially if it is medication that you may need to take during the flight.”

In an additional note, the airline says: “If you pack medicines in your hold luggage, we do not require a letter from your healthcare practitioner.” It adds: “We’re unable to refrigerate medication on board.”

There are certain types of medication and equipment passengers can bring on board. EasyJet says: “If you need to bring medication with you, please pack it in your cabin bag wherever possible.” A letter from your healthcare practitioner is only required if you are bringing any of the following items on board:

• Liquids that exceed 100ml.
• Sharp objects such as needles.
• Oxygen cylinders and concentrators.
• Any medical equipment that may be considered as dangerous goods in the aircraft cabin, a list of which can be found here.

EasyJet explains: “The letter should confirm that this medication is prescribed to you and it’s necessary for you to bring the items on board. We do not require a letter from your healthcare practitioner for all other medications and equipment.”

These include gel packs and cooler bags to maintain the temperature of your medication. As well as food and specialist devices such as dialysis machines (subject to size regulations), CPAP machines and nebulisers.

If travelling with medication containing a controlled drug, EasyJet advises passengers to check with their doctor or pharmacist if their prescription contains a controlled drug, as some countries have strict laws regarding these medications. Controlled drugs are medications that are subject to high levels of regulation as a result of government decisions, such as Diazepam, Lorazepam, Codeine or Tramadol.

EasyJet said: “If you need to travel with medicine that contains a controlled drug, please check the embassy rules for the country you’re travelling to, as well as the entry requirements before you fly. You will need to prove your medication is yours, either with a prescription or a letter from your doctor.”

Crutches and walking frames can be brought on board. EasyJet’s cabin crew can store them and return them after landing. Walking frames can be stored on board if space is available, or they will be put into the aircraft hold and returned after landing.

Portable medical equipment can be brought on board in addition to your cabin bag allowance. Portable medical devices must be no larger than 56 x 45 x 25 cm, otherwise they will have to travel in the hold. If you need to carry a small portable medical device, such as:

• CPAP machines
• TENS machines
• Nebulisers
• Portable dialysis machines

EasyJet said: “Then this may be carried in addition to your cabin bag allowance, provided that it’s no larger than 56 x 45 x 25 cm and that you have informed our Special Assistance Team, at least 48 hours before your flight that you require an additional medical bag for your journey. Non-essential medical equipment which exceeds your cabin-bag allowance will be charged in line with our baggage policy and may need to be placed in the hold.

“If you need to bring several medical devices or a large piece of medical equipment, please contact our Special Assistance team at least 48 hours before your flight so that they can advise you.”