I am going to be abroad studying in France and Spain over the course of a year, and am on long term medications that are extremely important for me to keep taking regularly at exact doses. I'm not sure how easy it will be to get prescriptions for the medications at the necessary regular intervals in both France and Spain over the year that I am abroad, so it would be more convenient and probably safer for my health for me to carry the amount that I need for the full time I'm abroad with me, unless foreign prescriptions are accepted at pharmacies. My medications are anti-psychotics, seizure, and blood pressure medications, so they're not anything that is taken for recreational use or should be prohibited in general. Will France allow me to take a year's supply of medication into the country if I have the proper letters and notes of prescription from my doctors, or would I have to find a doctor in France that will continue to prescribe me my medications while I am abroad, and the same while I am in Spain? Alternatively, does Spain take prescriptions written by foreign doctors, so that I can take only 4 or 5 months of medication to France and then fill prescriptions while in Spain, assuming my medication is available there? I have found it very difficult to find information on the exact amounts they will allow according to length of stay, and whether continuing on to another country is taken into account.
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2You first hurdle is actually getting a years supply. That is quite difficult in the US. You might want to work with a doctor or pharmacy that will ship the meds at regular intervals.– DTRTApr 27, 2018 at 3:42
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1@Johns-305 In particular, even if a doctor wrote such a prescription, the insurance company won't pay over 30 days' (in some cases 90 days') supply.– Andrew LazarusApr 27, 2018 at 3:49
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1@AndrewLazarus yes, that's why I'm pointing this out. weather the formulary allows 90 days is drug specific. The border is probably OP's lesser concern. :(– DTRTApr 27, 2018 at 3:55
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@Johns-305 I suppose if you were very wealthy and didn't care about the insurance, there's not much problem here. The sort of meds the OP is talking about aren't likely to be closely controlled, except for reimbursement.– Andrew LazarusApr 27, 2018 at 5:06
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@AndrewLazarus Again, it depends on the meds. Some can't be dispensed for long periods at all because results have to be monitored. That's something only OP's doctors can decide. Shipping meds isn't that big a deal even using insurance, one just has to do the legwork to set it up.– DTRTApr 27, 2018 at 5:24
1 Answer
I am going to be abroad studying in France and Spain over the course of a year, and am on long term medications that are extremely important for me to keep taking regularly at exact doses.
You should talk to your doctor about it. I'm not familiar with other two, but blood pressure medication requires periodic checkups as your body adjusts to it. It might be against the rules for your Dr to simply write you a 1 year prescription knowing you'd be away and without medical supervision.
Both France and Spain have English-speaking doctors. If the place you are attending to study attracts international students, they will surely be able to recommend some English speaking doctors. The prices are generally cheaper, and you might end up paying less for the medicine in those countries than your co-pay is here in USA.
unless foreign prescriptions are accepted at pharmacies
Prescriptions written by American doctors are not accepted in France, Spain or Germany. I tried.
Will France allow me to take a year's supply of medication into the country if I have the proper letters and notes of prescription from my doctors
Medicinal drugs for personal use may be imported in quantities sufficient for a 3-month treatment without prescription (or for longer than 3 months, with a prescription), provided they are carried in your baggage
