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Ask The Travel Doctor-TMVC

Q: I suffer from osteoarthritis and take codeine for flare-ups, I find it is the only drug that effectively deals with the pain, I also have a lot of allergies that preclude me taking other drugs, I have tried many and been unable to tolerate them, my husband and I are leaving next week for UK, passing through UAE and I have just been told I cannot carry codeine through UAE, can you tell me if there are any circumstances under which I can carry codeine, i.e. prescription, doctors letter etc., as I don't want my holiday in Dubai to be spoilt by pain and inability to get around

Thank you, Elaine.

 

A:  The issue with travelling with codeine is that some countries, notably most Middle East ones, Singapore, Malaysia and others, consider that codeine is a potential drug of abuse and addiction, and therefore illegal or restricted in their country. The UAE has codeine listed on its “ Restricted and Controlled Drugs” list. This implies that generally it is illegal to possess or obtain the drug in UAE without special authority.

I general, with respect to travellers who are already on the prescribed medication, the UAE Health Ministry's website (http://www.moh.gov.ae/en/default.aspx ) says: " Individuals may bring medicine in to the country for their personal use. Up to three months supply of a prescription item can be brought in to the country by a visitor and 12-months supply by a resident if they can produce a doctor's letter or a copy of the original prescription. Narcotic items should not be brought in to the country. In exceptional cases they can be brought in to the country but only with prior permission from the director of medicine and pharmacy control who will assess the individual case. These guidelines relate to medicines brought in by an individual through an airport or border crossing and medicines arriving by post."

The problem here is that codeine is classified as a narcotic drug, so in theory entering with this drug is breaching the local rules. So, unless you obtain permission as described, you should not take codeine into UAE. It is impossible to predict how closely a traveller would be checked, or what view border screening officials would take. Other suggestions are to look to an alternative medication for the duration of the travels, or travel via a different route.

Dr Tony

 

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