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TSA took my cancer medication away
It was my fault for somehow forgetting my prescription and note from my doctor, but a little consideration would have been nice. There is absolutely no excuse, security or otherwise for doing that.
I escalated to two supervisors, but they refused to allow it.
I don't get it, were they liquid meds? Because if not, why would they have even noticed or cared if in pill form? I've often decanted my meds into one of those daily dispensers for a weeklong trip to ensure I have the right amounts with me and have never had a problem. The extra Draconian measures are going to really harm or even kill someone one day!
Given all the cycles of changes at airports in the US (and for flights to the US) -- and for those other patsies adopting lowest common denominator nonsense -- I am not surprised that people are being separated from their medicine. This nonsense is to be expected.
Separating travelers from their medicine at US (or other) airports is disgusting; it's also useless for the TSA to treat people this way, especially as the TSA is mostly incapable of identifying what is a legitimate prescription or not, or what is the actual medicine or not.
Perhaps eventually there will be a news story of some person ending up in a hospital (or even dead) -- or at least poorer -- because the TSA separated a person from their medicine again and/or basically compelled them to enrich the pharmaceutical companies more than usual.
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Like TSA, DL SkyMiles management treats airline customers as if they are the enemy or sheep to be fleeced and it shows.
It was my fault for somehow forgetting my prescription and note from my doctor, but a little consideration would have been nice. There is absolutely no excuse, security or otherwise for doing that.
I escalated to two supervisors, but they refused to allow it.
This was at T7 LAX for a flight to SIN.
Don't make yourself into a victim - it was not your fault. (Don't forget that one poster here who is a screener has poo-pooed the practice of bringing a note from your doctor.)
Please, please report this to the CA Board of Medical Examiners, to your own doctor, the American Cancer Society and - don't laugh at me - the pharmaceutical company that manufactures the drug. Yes, they have an interest in patients using their drugs, but they also have a need to be seen as "good guys." If pharmaceutical companies come out against the practice of TSA taking meds away from travelers, they are going to look good to a large number of people, travelers and non-travelers alike.
As Jonesing, earlier in this thread, even said, this doesn't make any sense. Granted, TSA usually doesn't make the most sense, but they've flat-out stated that medication in pill form is okay and, so long as it's in prescription containers (which some people don't even bother doing and that doesn't cause problems), doesn't need to be declared at security checkpoints.
This is alarming to me. Not just because TSA would go so far as to deprive someone--especially a cancer patient--of their medication, but because I heavily depend on a number of medications (all pill form), and I'll be traveling to Canada this winter. The last thing I want is for those medications to be taken away from me, either by TSA or perhaps customs. Although I doubt the latter (especially Canadian customs) would do that, it's still a concern on my mind. I need these medications.
For those of us who require medication, traveling can be a very difficult event. TSA has made it even more difficult with their rules and regulations regarding medicine and so forth.
I agree with the previous poster, Doober, in what s/he said. Report this action to all the key groups Doober listed (and maybe even go to the media with this story as well), and see what happens. Maybe nothing will come of it, or maybe something will. The point is that you will have tried, and hopefully TSA--and those specific TSA agents who did the deed--will get slammed for behaving in this shameful manner.
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I would report this to your local media outlets. If you can get the story on TV, it will be good for you. Also, the TSA web site specifically states that you DO NOT need a prescription tag that matches the name of the passenger.
It was my fault for somehow forgetting my prescription and note from my doctor, but a little consideration would have been nice. There is absolutely no excuse, security or otherwise for doing that.
I escalated to two supervisors, but they refused to allow it.
I've heard many horror stories about LAX, but this takes the cake!! What idiots! Make sure as you are writing complaints that you also include a copy to the airline that you were flying on that day. Send a copy to local at airport as well as main headquarters. They need to know how TSA is treating their customers.
Just out of curiosity, what was TSA's reasoning for depriving you of your meds?
Perhaps the Surgeon General needs to put out a new emergency health advisory: "SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Quitting the TSA Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health".
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Like TSA, DL SkyMiles management treats airline customers as if they are the enemy or sheep to be fleeced and it shows.
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This takes the cake! Of course, I also saw one woman have to remove her infusion pump and remove the batteries to show the agents it was OK for travel (SLC.) When did these folks become qualified to make life-impacting medical decisions!?
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