Help Need Regarding Prescription Drugs

[Dropkick]

I had an email from a colleague and cannot help out as i don't have the answers. I'd be grateful if anyone on here can help. The email is below with details.

Cheers

Dropkick

I really appreciate your help with this. I have discussed this with a few people in the college with regards to the possibility of not being able to go to Thailand but have not disclosed any specifics. For my own security and the safety of others I don’t discuss the fact that I take this drug as (in much larger quantities that I take) it is an popular drug of abuse and one that I have to carry with me because of the divided dose issue. It’s just preferable that it is not commonly known I have it.

The drug is dexamphetamine sulphate (formerly Dexedrine). It is dispensed in 5mg tablet form and I take a 60mg divided dose every day. I would be required to carry 780mg for the duration of my trip but will take some during the course of my travels so will enter with 750mg or less and leave with 60mg for the return leg of my journey. Both my hospital consultant and GP have advised that there is no suitable alternative and that I cannot stop taking this medication.

I have contacted almost every authority I can think of to try and get a response on whether I will be permitted to carry this prescription with me and all indications are that only Thai Customs can give me the definitive answer. I have tried emailing them but have had no response. The telephone number I have rings out and I am not confident that speaking to someone will actually get me any further than I am. I have read on the Thai FDA web site that under certain circumstances a licence to carry the drug may be permitted by the Thai authorities and so I have managed to pull together the paperwork I need to apply for the licence:

· A copy of the prescription

· A letter from my GP

· A copy of the hospital Consultant’s letter to my GP

· UK Home Office Licence Pending: I have an email from the UK Home office confirming they will grant me a licence to travel with the prescription. I will have hard copy in time to travel but am hoping to have the PDF file of this emailed to me later this week

As soon as I have the soft copy of the Home Office Licence I will be in a position to apply for the Thai licence but I am not confident that I will get a response back in time to allow me to travel. I cannot now travel without the express written permission of Thai Customs and will lose the entire cost of our honeymoon if we don’t get this. This is our last ditch attempt to resolve this as we have exhausted all other avenues and now require only to establish an open line of communication with a Thai Customs Official with the authority to make a decision on my case. Anything your friend in Thailand can do to help with this would be very much appreciated.

We depart Glasgow 5^th Feb and arrive Bangkok 6^th Feb

We have an internal Flight to Phucket 10^th Feb, returning to Bangkok 17^th Feb

Depart Bangkok 18^th Feb

As things stand for me at the moment I will never be able to go to Thailand if I am refused permission and I am really sad about that as it is a destination I have wanted to visit for many years now!

Thanks again for your help with this, even if the result is that we can’t go I will be really grateful to have resolution.

[Mario2008]

Controlled substances need to be reported at customs on arrival (and also if you go through costums during a transfer or such) and one need to show a letter from a doctor stating that you need the drug. Have the letter state your friends full name and passport number and use the red channel at arrival.

I doubt customs will give him rior permission. It is more report it when you arrive, which might not be to his liking.

Another way is your friend to contact a hospital in Thailand to see if they can prescribe it to him while he is in Thailand, with a letter from his UK doctor.

But I'm sure Sheryl can give you the best advice.

[Sheryl]

Normally no license is needed to bring in prescription drugs as long as it is for personal use and in quantity consistent with 30 days. Licenses are generally for people to import for commercial purposes. I have never heard of anyone getting a license to bring their own prescription medication for personal use into Thailand and I suspect neither will have Thai Customs. However, in this particular case the drug in question is banned in Thailand -- i,.e. not even a con trolled substance, but altogether banned, even hospitals cannot use it. So technically it may be that he needs a license, but as this is a rare occurrence I expect you'll have trouble getting anyone at customs to know about it and they will in any c ase almost certainly refer you to the FDA (which sorry to say, is often a black hole when it comes to these things).

Frankly most people in this situation just rely on the fact that the medication is in a clearly labeled bottle with his name and having a doctor's letter -- and having a quantity consistent with no m ore than 30 days personal use. I have never heard of anyone who had all that having a problem. But it is not impossible given that the drug is a banned substance.

If you are in Thailand the best thing would be for you to have a Thai speaker call the FDA and patiently wade through multiple holds and referrals to other extensions, with persistence you will likely be able to get the needed info. Mention that he will already have a license from the UK authorities, and doctor's prescription and that it is a small quantity solely for personal use as directed by physician.