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Bringing prescription drugs into Russia

 
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Dawnelle
Frequent Guest


Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 11:44 am    Post subject: Bringing prescription drugs into Russia Reply with quote

Does anyone know if this is going to be a problem? I am going to Russia for 3 weeks and I am on a couple of medications which I would like to bring with me, rather than waste time and trouble to find similar in Russia. They are in their original labeled bottles, do I need any other info or forms for this? I also must go through US first, does anyone know if this is a problem there either? Is there any Americans here who have had experience with this? Thanks for any info you can give me.
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tbarnes
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Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 10
Location: New York, NY

PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You should get a note from your doctor explaining your need for the medication (see http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/regional/regional_1176.html, under "Bring Your Own Medicines"). You definitely don't want to be looking for that stuff while on holiday.
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tbarnes
Frequent Guest


Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 10
Location: New York, NY

PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh, and also, I'm not sure where you're coming from, but I wouldn't worry about coming through America with prescription drugs at all (we're a pill-popping nation, after all); you'll should only need the note in Russia
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MrSpice
Lounge Wizard


Joined: 14 Jul 2003
Posts: 3431

PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 10:04 pm    Post subject: Re: Bringing prescription drugs into Russia Reply with quote

Dawnelle wrote:
Does anyone know if this is going to be a problem? I am going to Russia for 3 weeks and I am on a couple of medications which I would like to bring with me, rather than waste time and trouble to find similar in Russia. They are in their original labeled bottles, do I need any other info or forms for this? I also must go through US first, does anyone know if this is a problem there either? Is there any Americans here who have had experience with this? Thanks for any info you can give me.


Here is the real answer - don't worry, bring anything you want to bring. No one is going to care about it. First of all, when you arrive in Russia nowadays, you just go through "green line" and they don't even check your luggage. In the US, by law you need to have a perscription. It's highly unlikely that anyone would care about it here. But if you have a prescription it would be better - just in case.
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surfguy
Lounge Wizard


Joined: 13 Apr 2006
Posts: 6979

PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 10:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I never had anything checked and it was quite easy coming through. And I had lots of alcohol...case of wine, bottles of tequila-thought for sure they'd check...but nope-no problems.
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Dawnelle
Frequent Guest


Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 12:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks everyone for the info.
I have been talking to others also about this and pretty much everyone is telling me that Russia will not be a problem, but that US is extremely uptight about such things.
To Tbarnes- the prescriptions were written and filled in US (NY to be exact) but the problem is I have no proof of this other than the labeled bottles ( I see you are in NY also so you know they take your prescription paper from you at the pharmacy) and I can not get a note from my doctor because his office has closed as he is on holiday abroad also and it is probably my fault for not thinking of this sooner. Well I have to go through JFK in NY tomorrow, I will try it and be hoping for the best. Thanks again to all Smile
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Dawnelle
Frequent Guest


Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well just an update for anyone who maybe reading and have same questions, I am in Moscow now and the answer is nobody checks.
In US they just opened my bag, thats it and never looked at a thing in it and closed it again and in Russia they did not even do that. Seems like I was concerned for no reason, but it went well... Smile
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surfguy
Lounge Wizard


Joined: 13 Apr 2006
Posts: 6979

PostPosted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 4:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've found the U.S. airports to be the worse out of any where...well with exception of Iran...there though it was just the fact that I was American that they held us and our passports for 3 hours
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tbarnes
Frequent Guest


Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 10
Location: New York, NY

PostPosted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

say, does that mean you didn't even declare the prescriptions in Moscow (are you supposed to?) What if you go through the nothing to declare line and then they catch you and go through your stuff (or they just don't do this?)
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Dawnelle
Frequent Guest


Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 1:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

tbarnes wrote:
say, does that mean you didn't even declare the prescriptions in Moscow (are you supposed to?) What if you go through the nothing to declare line and then they catch you and go through your stuff (or they just don't do this?)




First I apologize for the delay in reply, I could not access these boards for a while and just now seen your post. I dont know about declaring perscriptions, I saw nothing on this at the airport, however I did fill out the form and go to the red line not because of the perscriptions or even cash, but because I was concerned I was carrying with me a laptop computer worth approx 2000$ and camera equipment worth about 4000$ and I just did not want any problems. Anyway the guy there looked it over and assured me it was completely unnecessary to declare such and sent me over to the green line and I had no problems at all.
As far as going through your stuff, no problems going into Moscow. Going out of Moscow is a bit of ordeal as compared to New York. Leaving NY of course all bags (cargo and carryon) were passed through x ray, cargo bags were quickly glanced inside of and you personally go through a metal detector type thing but that was it. Leaving Moscow first everything through x ray then a guy opens your 'cargo' bags and looks through them. They take those bags then you remove your shoes jacket etc which go through x ray along with your carryons, while you walk through metal detector. Then someone will come forward and pat you down while turning out your pockets. Then you go collect your stuff but before you can even put your shoes back on you are directed to people standing at tables who will proceed to dump out and go through every single thing in your carryons, which you will have to pack back up before you can go sit and put yourself back together and wait for the plane. It seems they are much more thorough there than NY on leaving, and this was days before the terrorist situation in UK that just happened, but at no time did anyone anywhere give the perscriptions even a second look.
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