Anyone had troubles in Dubai transiting with prescriptions?

[oncruisecontrol]

 

There are other good reasons why one might not been keen to visit Dubai - I have a personal list, and I wouldn't go there again if I didn't have family living there - but the rules about medicines are not amongst them.

 

Curious for you to elaborate. What is your personal list for not going there again (if you did not have family)?

[sharke]

Dubai prisons are not full of Westerners who have painkillers or aspirin!! Be sensible, take your doctor's prescription and check their "banned" list.

Unless you need your medication during your flights, put it in your checked luggage and forget about it.

If you are transitting, just shop and enjoy.

 

So can I assume by this that you are OK if you place the meds in your checked luggage? We r ending our cruise in Dubai and taking the ships tour of Dubai with drop at the airport.

[Mdot]

So can I assume by this that you are OK if you place the meds in your checked luggage? We r ending our cruise in Dubai and taking the ships tour of Dubai with drop at the airport.

 

I have not transited through Dubai in over a year, and never from or to a cruise ship. When I used to travel through there from the States on my way elsewhere, I would have to come into town at Terminal 3 and recheck out again at Terminal 2, which is an entirely different facility a distance away by car. Even checked baggage went through double screening (on the way into Dubai, after going through customs, all luggage was once again screened before the outside exit doors of any terminal; then, on the way out of Dubai, everything was screened coming into the airport and once again by the airline after check in). So, basically, everything was screened four times on a normal few hours' transit. Since I was stationed at my post for long periods of time, I always carried several months' supply of personal prescriptions, calcium, vitamins, Aleve, etc., both in my checked luggage and in my carry-on, and was never stopped. Just lucky, I guess.

 

I would be curious to know from anyone that has done the Terminal 3-Terminal 2 dance recently if everything is still as I remember it.

[willing292]

I'm specifically wondering about Benadryl antihistamine which has an active ingredient that could be a problem from what I saw on the UAE medicine list.

 

It's just a standard over the counter medication here and I really need to have it along. We are arriving in Dubai a few days before boarding a cruise. Want to keep it in my carry on to show I'm not hiding anything but am feeling anxious about the whole medicine situation in the country. Does anyone know if I could just buy it there over the counter in a pharmacy?

 

I could probably get a note from my Dr. but no copy of a prescription because it's not a prescription drug where I live. I posted this query on another thread and was directed here because there is more discussion on the topic.

 

Any suggestions or additional info would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

 

even though it's an over the counter med, your Dr. can still write a prescription for it.

[Globaliser]

Curious for you to elaborate. What is your personal list for not going there again (if you did not have family)?

It's an artificial, sterile, plastic and totally soulless place. Being there is like living in a theme park. Indeed, now that the construction industry has largely ground to a halt, it's a theme park that's in a perpetually half-built state. Moreover, it's expensive. Some things are badly run - for example, the ice skating rink's managers don't understand that skating is easier if the ice isn't so cold that it's absolutely bone dry. (But then there are professional firms whose London offices regard their Dubai staff as people who they wouldn't have sweeping the floors in London.) And about the only thing to do for entertainment there is to go shopping - which is not much use to someone who would rather sit alone in a cold dark room than go shopping.

[Wandering Writer]

We just returned from our Dubai trip and cruise. After freaking out about going through customs with our prescription meds and leaving our usual medical supply kit with all the cold remedies, etc. at home, I was surprised to go through customs without a hitch. When we arrived at the airport, we were channeled through a place that xrayed our carry ons. That's where we had all our prescription meds. No one questioned anything and we just picked them up and walked on to get our luggage.

 

Once we had our luggage, we had two choices to exit through--Something to Declare or Nothing to Declare. We chose nothing. There were no custom forms to fill out and no one questioned us.

 

Perhaps we didn't fit a profile? Maybe they stop younger people who might be carrying substance? I don't know. I only wish I had packed the cold remedies. We could have used them on the QM2 trip.

[Globaliser]

I only wish I had packed the cold remedies.

That's hindsight talking, which always has 20/20 vision.

 

The same hindsight would have been saying something very different if you had packed the cold remedies, despite their ingredients appearing on the list, and then you'd got into trouble with the authorities for them, as some people do.

[mjobtx]

Does anyone have new links that will allow me to review what prescription medications I can and cannot take to Dubai?

[57thny]

We had the same experience. I had my doctor write prescriptions and a LETTTER with prescriptions and reasons why for everything and was in panic mode before the trip. Dubai's airport is beautiful and efficient. We were asked to have our lugagge scanned, and after they politely thanked us and waved us through. I always believe in being prepared though. Copies of prescriptions in your carry on and another copy in your luggage as well as a doctors letter should be fine. My doctor thought I was way over reacting ...but I heard the horror stories as well. Dubai is AMAZING and should not be missed. Have fun!

[Wandering Writer]

I really stressed out on this before our trip. Even argued with hubby about his taking Tylenol PM into the country. We passed through customs easily with nods and smiles from the people there. Here's a post from my blog about that. More posts from our three day stay there are listed if you click on the UAE - Dubai link on the list of post in the sidebar.

[Globaliser]

Does anyone have new links that will allow me to review what prescription medications I can and cannot take to Dubai?

The 2007-2008 UAE Ministry of Health list can be found here: http://dcc.org.ae/admincp/assetsmanager/Files/Pharmacusts/Updated%20Controlled%20medical%20list%20seperated%202007.pdf

 

And the Fair Trials International (partial) list can be found here: http://www.fairtrials.net/press/article/list_of_controlled_pharmaceutical_substances_in_uae

[Globaliser]

Even argued with hubby about his taking Tylenol PM into the country.

Although there's nothing in Tylenol PM (which contains acetaminophen/paracetamol and diphenhydramine) that appears on the Ministry list.