Business trips are an essential part of almost every company’s growth and success. It allows employees to travel to new places, meet new people, and expand their knowledge and skills. For many employees, business trips can be an exciting opportunity, but for the employers, it can be a source of stress and anxiety.
With so many details and arrangements to consider, it can be easy to forget that certain destinations have specific restrictions on what you bring into the country. From medications for anxiety, ADHD and depression, to common over-the-counter cold medicines, many countries have guidelines on what can be brought in and passengers can face hefty consequences for breaching these laws. Read our article below to find out how you can support your employees on business trips by ensuring they have the correct knowledge and documentation required when travelling with medication.
What are the risks when taking medication abroad?
A well-planned business trip is essential for the success of both the employee and the employer. From flight arrangements to hotel accommodations and transportation, there are many details to consider. A poorly planned business trip can lead to unnecessary expenses, missed meetings and decreased productivity. Therefore, it’s essential to take the time to plan the trip carefully and thoughtfully.
One thing that is often overlooked when planning a trip is whether your employee needs to bring medication with them on their travels. In November 2017, 61 year-old British man Perry Coppins was jailed for five weeks in the UAE while awaiting trial for a potential 4-year prison sentence for carrying prescribed anti-anxiety medication on his work trip. So it’s important for employers to be aware of the restrictions held in the countries their employees are travelling to. In certain countries such as Japan, Greece and Singapore, common medications such as Vicks are banned. The active ingredient in many over-the-counter decongestant medicines, pseudoephedrine, is banned in these countries, and taking it through customs could land your employees a jail sentence or hefty fine.
How can employers support their employees on their business trips?
Knowing whether or not you are safe to travel with your over-the-counter or prescription medication can be stressful and confusing. As a trusted travel health provider, we at DocHQ have developed a way to ensure your employees travel safely and securely with our Free Travel Medicine Checker tool. Travellers can find out if there are any restrictions on the medication they wish to carry to their chosen destination and, if necessary, purchase a Travel Medical Certificate, which includes a doctor-verified Travel Medical Certificate to present at border control.
Users simply log onto the DocHQ website and input the medication they wish to carry to their destination country, upload relevant prescriptions, then buy a doctor-validated Medical Certificate as legal supporting documentation to carry through customs. Should DocHQ detect any controlled or prohibited substances, users will be advised to seek alternative prescriptions from their GP or medicine from a pharmacist.
In addition, DocHQ provides a Travel Guidance Letter identifying any further supporting documents required by the destination country and directs the user to any forms they need to fill out ahead of their trip.
If your employee takes medication for ADHD, anxiety or depression, you will need to be aware of what restrictions are in place at their travel destination. Japan and the UAE have a zero-tolerance policy for methamphetamines and amphetamines – the active ingredients in many ADD drugs – even if you have your prescription. In order to protect employees and ensure they are taking their necessary medication whilst working abroad, we urge employers to use our Travel Medicine Checker to help their employees avoid some unpleasant consequences.
This world-first service offers business and leisure travellers peace of mind when carrying even seemingly innocent medicines abroad. What’s more, there are no time-consuming appointments or hours spent scouring the internet for information, and DocHQ’s team of doctors validate the Medical Letter the next day*.
How the process works
Travellers can check their medication on DocHQ’s Travel Medicine Checker website for free. They can then purchase Travel Medical Letter service, where a DocHQ GP will review their information alongside the regulations of their destination. For non-restricted medicines, a next-day Travel Medical Certificate will be emailed* along with a Travel Guidance Letter with further information on their destination country’s medicine restrictions and guidance on additional documentation required from external authorities.
*Next-day dispatch Monday-Friday, for non-prohibited medications. Some countries require further documentation in addition to a Travel Medical Certificate, which can take up to 12 weeks to process, so it’s advised to plan in advance.
Provide your employees with peace of mind on their business trips by trying our easy-to-use service to ensure they get to their destination with their medication.
