Medicines in Checked in Baggage!
 

Hello guys!
Need your suggestions and advice on this!
Sorry for multipost!
i had posted this in an another forum and the people there directed me here and i am hoping for you advice.
I wud be travelling to San Diego and would be studying for my masters here.I would having my connecting in London heathrow. I suffer from hair fall and the medications i take are tugain foam (2 times daily), Finapecia (1 everyday)<I have a prescription>. I am supposed to continue this for 10months. Being from india, I have no clue on the rules of purchasing these medicines in San Diego. WOuld they allow me to carry these medicine supplies for 9 months in my checked in baggage! The problem is that i have 9 cans of TUgain foam(which uhas 5% minoxidil solution.). If not, is there any idea of how to get it transported to USA.


Thanks for the help!
Regards
Muk

thnakum, you are not supposed to cross post! But since you seem to be a newbie to FT, I'll answer your question.

You will definitely not have any problem with your tablets. And given how many Indians bring semi-solid food items (like pickles) to the US, I doubt you will have any issues with your foam. It might make sense to attach a copy of your prescription to the box containing your cans of foam, just in case anyone opens up your suitcase and looks.

You are allowed to bring the medications into the US so long as you have a doctor's prescription (in your name, make sure it matches the passport) and only in a "reasonable quantity for personal use". Most likely, you will have no problems. But, if the customs official thinks you are bringing medicine in to re-sell then the medicine will be confiscated or worse.

Both are available in the United States if you don't want to carry that huge supply with you.

Minoxidil 5% foam is sold under the brand name Rogaine and is available without a prescription.

Finasteride 1 mg is sold under the brand name Propecia and requires a prescription. You'd have to get a prescription from a physician licensed in the U.S. Your prescription from India wouldn't have any validity. There are no generics in the U.S. until the patent expires at the end of 2013. I'm sure the tablets would be a lot more expensive than what you pay in India.

I'm a licensed pharmacist. That's how I know about this.

@hyderago i am sorry but what do you mean by cross post? next time i will be aware of this and make sure i dont cross post! thanks for the advice

@andymell and SJOguy! thanks for your help and suggestions. i would be attaching the prescription with each medicine box along with the doctors letter. I hope nothing happens!

this is probably a big reason why the op wants to get the medicine from india....

Cross-posting refers to posting the same message in multiple forums.

No worries. Good luck with your trip and studies.