Taking morphine to Spain

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Sorry posting for traffic!

I'm going to Spain this month and I will need to take my prescribed morphine tablets and Oramorph with me. I am getting so confused about what I actually need as proof that they are prescribed to me as they are controlled drugs. Does anyone have any experience of this or know what I need to take with me?

I read on one site that I may need a licence from the Spanish Medicines Agency but their website is in Spanish for a start and I can't find a definite answer on what the process is. I really don't want to be arrested on a family holiday so any help would be appreciated.

I will have the medications in my hold luggage as I won't need access to them on the plane and I have a stamped print out of what is prescribed to me and why from my GP surgery. Will that suffice and does anyone know about this licence?

Thanks!

I am sorry I can’t help specifically but if your luggage is lost what will you do?
we always carry prescription medicine in hand luggage in its original packaging but I appreciate that as yours is a controlled drug it may be different
If you want to put the relevant bit in Spanish on here I can probably help with translation

You need a letter from your GP confirming they have been prescribed to you. This will also help if you were to lose them abroad and needed more from a Spanish pharmacist.

i wouldnt put essesntial mediacation in a checked bag in case it goes missing

Please carry any medication in your hand luggage, if your bag goes missing or your flight is delayed you may have problems. I say this as airport staff.

When I've travelled with DD to Spain we've always had a doctors letter with her medical conditions and medication requirements. We've never had any issues.

I was planning to put it in my case because I was thinking it would be less hassle with it being a controlled drug but I appreciate it's probably a bad idea. The oramorph is in a 300ml bottle so am I even allowed that in my carry on?

@Hoppinggreen thank you, I appreciate that but I don't know where the information is on what I need to do regarding licence as the whole website is Spanish.

@Runwayqueen are you able to tell me if I'm allowed to take a 300ml bottle in my carry on?

Do not put medicines in the hold.

You need to put it in your hand luggage.
You must take a consultant or GP letter and the prescription.
All drugs must be in original packaging with the pharmacy label on them.
In terms of opiates you do need to double check any extra rules (I am not on opiates, but have had to take steroids and cytotoxic meds with me).
Your travel insurance company might be able to help with translating the rules.

Your pharmacist can probably help and it might be that you just need the oramorph split into small containers, or there might be an alternative formulation like capsules.

Yes you are. You WILL need a letter from your GP, (which they’ll charge for, but hey £25ish against the cost of a holiday) and the letter will cover that it’s prescribed for you, and for what reason. We used to always have to get this for my dad, and had no issues going through security with it.
Do NOT for the love of god put it in checked luggage, especially with all the problems at airports just now!

I will have the medications in my hold luggage as I won't need access to them on the plane

I would keep them with you all the time. What if your bag gets lost, or the bottles break (have you seen the way the luggage is thrown about?), or the flight is delayed after the bags have been loaded, or the plane gets diverted and the journey takes longer than you thought, and you can't access your medicine, or the plane crashes and you land on a desert island with your handbag but not your hold luggage?

Seriously - keep at least some of your medicine with you all the time.

Have you seen this OP? It says what you need (proof that it’s prescribed for you) and also that a license would be needed if taking in more than 3 months worth. www.gov.uk/guidance/healthcare-for-uk-nationals-visiting-spain

Always best to take all prescription meds in hand luggage and I usually take a few extra in case of delay.

All liquids in hand luggage should be in a clear plastic bag 20cmx20cm. Prescription meds in liquid form over 100ml are allowed and they don’t fit in the bag should be carried separately along with proof they’re prescribed for your person use www.chemist-4-u.com/guides/travel/travel-with-medication/

Ok so the GP says they can do a letter for £45 (which I am prepared to pay) but have suggested that what they have printed for me should be sufficient as it has the list of meds prescribed and dosage and what they're prescribed for however it isn't in letter form. It is just a print out of the system so a dated list basically. Should I get a letter as well or will that be enough? The Dr I spoke to said it should be fine.

I'm not security staff but yes as long as you have the required proof that it's yours, drs letter etc. I've always taken unopened bottles in the original package. Just make sure you take it out of your hand luggage and put it in a separate tray before it's scanned through and the person scanning your boarding card knows it's yours. You may find they ask if they can do a liquids test on it.

If your in doubt do check your departure airports security page on the website or give them a call.

This is what I had to do to take similar medication to Spain years ago. It needs to say exactly the same name and dose as is on the box l. I’d also split it, some in hang luggage in case they lose your case if it’s delayed a few days at arrivals.

whats the website? I speak Spanish.

Do you mean the other side of the prescription with your repeats listed? Or a print off from their system? I wouldn’t risk it either way. They’ll want it to have the surgery details on in case they want to ring to verify it’s genuine.

Thank you @over50andfab. I'm going for 10 days so don't need a licence this side but the Spanish embassy say I need a licence from the Spanish Medicines Agency to take it into Spain which I can't find any info on. They gave me an email address which I have emailed but not heard back. No phone number to call or anything so I'm a bit stuck on that part. I wouldn't be worried if it wasn't morphine but with it being a controlled drug I don't want any hassle

@WestIsWest it is a print out of my medical record from the surgery system with the surgerys stamp and phone number on. It has the prescribing GPs name on it and my details and NHS number along with the medications and my conditions. The only thing is the layout isn't a letter.

“Should” be fine isn’t enough for me!

For me airports can be stressful enough without having to be concerned about whether “should” be enough is actually enough, but I appreciate you might be ok with it. It was always money well spent for me.

@Stroopwaffels when I Google Spanish medicines agency I get this website:
www.aemps.gob.es/informa-en/the-spanish-agency-of-medicines-and-medical-devices-aemps-recommends-using-voluntary-harmonisation-procedure-before-the-official-submission-of-a-multi-state-ct-application/?lang=en

Ok this website www.exteriores.gob.es/Embajadas/brasilia/es/Comunicacion/Noticias/Paginas/Articulos/20220407_NOT1.aspx says you can take three months prescription medicine for personal use, along with the prescription UNLESS it is a narcotic. I don’t know enough pharmacology to know whether morphine falls into that category but would suspect it does.

If it is a narcotic then you need a printout with the following info
Datos del médico - details of gp
Nombre y apellidos: - name and surname
Nº colegiado o CRM: - registration no
Nombre del Centro: name of practise
Dirección: address
Teléfono de Contacto: phone
Fax de Contacto: fax
Email de Contacto: email
Paciente - patient
Nombre y apellidos: name and surname
Domicilio: home address
Pasaporte: passport no
Sexo: sex
Lugar de nacimiento: place of birth
Fecha de nacimiento: date of birth
Nacionalidad: nationality
Datos del viaje - dates of travel
País de destino: country of destination
Duración del viaje: duration of trip
Dirección de destino: destination address
Fecha Prevista de Inicio : departure date

I'm going to second everyone who says put the medicine in your hand luggage. Don't split it in-between your hold and carry-on luggage. Also take enough to take in account any delays if your flight gets cancelled on the way back

To clarify I mean date of departure from the uk / arrival in Spain. If you’re still unsure it might be worth calling the Spanish embassy as someone there will know for sure.