I have just sent e-mails to just about every entity I could think of, including the TSA, to raise this issue.

Even before the current travel crisis, the apparent regulation for carrying prescription medications was that they had to be in the bottle they came in with the original label that matched the name on the passenger's ticket. Well, this is a problem to me for several reasons:
1). I take a number of prescription meds and order them by mail in 3- month supplies. I see no reason to take a number of large bottles with me.
2). Someone could fill a prescription bottle with whatever they chose, and airport screeners wouldn't know the difference. So why the regulation? It makes no sense.
3). The American Pharmaceutical Association recommends that travelers carry on all their prescription meds in case luggage is lost or misplaced. I've only done that once, and then didn't use the original bottles (a seeming violation). This also would seem impractical now, even if permitted.

So - Why not have a regulation that permits travelers to carry on just those medications they would need for a day or so while flying, accompanied by a signed list - specific to the person - from a physician and/or pharmacist of the medications prescribed or recommended? Carrying bottles is no safer. Who ever thought so?

Any other ideas?

This is relevant to me, as well, though my concern has been a bit different: What I've heard is you're allowed to take on "the amount of prescription meds you need for the flight", but, I believe, also in their original containers.

So, what does one do with the rest of the bottle's contents which you remove so as to only have enough for the flight? If you put them in a ziplock in your checked luggage, they'll be viewed with suspicion by baggage searchers. Seems like a catch 22.

I'll be calling BA early next week to clarify the instructions on this before I fly on Weds.

As for the logic in any policy, paceag, I've long since given up trying to make sense of anything being done now. It's hard enough for me to keep track of what I have to do for the trip!

Karen

I get some paper brochures with all of my prescriptions from Walgreens. Theses brochures include lots of small print about side effects but also a couple of replicated prescription labels, with sticky stuff on the back. I peel these off and put them on the back and sides of my plastic weekly pill containers (those things that have the days of the week on them). Therefore, I do not carry a lot of bottles with me. I have never been questioned so don't know if this really works! If you don't use Walgreens, perhaps you can get some duplicate labels anyway.

A travel agent just told me there is only concern for liquid meds. Have you heard something different?

Although bottles are best in the original containers, I personally have never heard of anyone having their meds taken from them because they don't have documentation.

Has anyone out there had this happen to them?

We asked for a printout from Costco of our meds, and the druggist signed it. I hope this will suffice, as between hubby and myself, we take 7 meds per day.

I am also going to take the full 17 day supply with me on the airplane. I am not going to trust my meds to anyone!

I'm hoping I can take a tiny bottle of Tylenol PM in my purse (or at least one pill), so I can sleep on my flight. They keep saying "Persciption meds". Does that mean no advil or similar medication in pill form will be allowed as long as it's not liquid?

I might have to get a perscription for sleeping aids, (one pill each direction) if not.

Custom officers would prefer that medication was in their original containers for ease of identification.

I usually take mine out of their original containers and combine what I need. I always carry an accompanying letter from my doctor and customs have always accepted this.

Elly

What a headache for all of us! When we flew to Frankfurt last year, AA's policy was all medication had to be in its original container AND you had to have a signed letter from the issuing doctor. My husband, Don, had the same problem you had, paceaj . . . his meds also come from mail order in a 3 month's supply. He lugged all his bottles on the flight in his backpack. Not fun. We've already gotten all our letters from the doctors (just in case) but in addition I'm going to call Medco and see if they'll send us some smaller sized travel bottles. These are available through most pharmacies. We used to get them when we had to send a dose of antibiotic for our child to daycare and school. Just call your pharmacy. They'll give you pill bottles as small as you like and they'll print up a prescription label for each one. That way, if you want, you can just take the pills on board that you need while in flight.

Palma, for over-the-counter medications, see if your family doctor will write a prescription for your Tylenol (or whatever). Under the circumstances, most doctors will do this, I feel sure, especially if they know you need it for relaxation on the flight. Hope this helps.
Patty

If the security checkpoint is in the U.S., the consensus seems to be that there's no problem with pills; the directive on prescription meds only refers to those in liquid form. See this Flyertalk discussion.

Interesting link Andrew. After reading it, still seems to be unresolved answers. I didn't even think about inhalers though!

I take a medication that only comes in gelcaps and I also take a type of calcium which comes in gelcaps. I know there are other calcium products, but this one has worked well for me and so I would hate to switch. I wonder if I could get a prescription or letter from my doctor for the calcium gel capsules? Luckily all my other meds are solid pills.

My prescription gel caps are not that big, but I would have to bring 70 or 80 of them depending on my trip (as I take 2 a day and like to take a few extra days worth just in case). The calcium gel capsules are big and so they would probably add up to more than 4 ounces, especially if the weight of the inhaler was added in!

I do not trust the airlines with my checked bags. I have had the pleasure of waiting for a lost bag (2 weeks for Delta to find it) and a bag that was never seen again when flying Continental. Because of this, I would not feel comfortable checking any of my meds.

I hope that a clear message is soon posted on the TSA website with the understanding that many of us need to take various medications with us.

Thanks for starting this thread, paceaj. This was my biggest concern for future trips if the current regulations stay the same...that and no water!

That is an interesting discussion on Flyertalk, Andrew. I found a long thread on the topic on an About.com senior forum. A few comments, listed below, illustrate this remark someone made on Flyertalk.

quote:

It will only allow some TSA agents to be extremely arbitrary and capricious in what they will personally allow

Incidentally, is this an AA Advantage message board? I didn't know about it before. [And how are things in St. Joe? Hot? See my e-mail address for how I knew.]

I consulted the senior forum (found when I Googled the subject) after I posted my original message. There were a number of similar concerns expressed as well as descriptions of these outrageous incidents:

1). "I know of an individual who has MS and had to fly from the west coast to the east 2 days ago. He had 4 syringes of his medicine and was made to trash it. His shots were around $200 each, pity common sense couldn’t have . . . [prevailed]."

2). "I work in a pharmacy and have this irritating . . . story from a customer. She was flying with her prescription eye drops. The pharmacy label was attached to the box that the bottle comes in because it is not possible to place the label right on the bottle. Since the label was not directly on the bottle, airport security cordially threw out her eye drops."

I would have a similar problem with my inhalers, if I encountered the same screener. Clearly there is a lot of arbitrary interpretation.

I have written to my senators and spoken to and emailed someone at AARP to try to get some help in having these regulations clarified and made more sensible. Perhaps we can get petitions going also.
Ann

www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm

Everything you may or may not take on the aircraft.

The issue, though, is not what - currently - you can or cannot take on board but how sensible and realistic the current regulations are. Clearly, many of them don't make sense and present serious problems for some travelers.

So I see, according to the TSA link, that you can now carry on up to 4 oz of liquid non-prescription meds and up to 4 oz of things like eye drops and saline solutions. But how about the "personal lubricants," 4 oz. of which are also allowed? Is the TSA endorsing the Mile High Club?