Traveling by Plane With My Injectable Biologic

In the past, traveling meant lugging lots of heavy tubes and tubs of medications and moisturizers and other products related to my skin with me, making my luggage heavy! Nowadays, it looks a little different, allow me to explain.

Today, because of the advancement of science and technology, treatments come in different forms. For the last number of years, I have been very grateful that I have found great relief for my atopic dermatitis with Adbry® also known as Adtralza®, a biologic made by Leo Pharma. Traveling with biologics is lighter weight, however, it brings a long its own set of logistical challenges. Although I have been on biologics now for a few years (previously Dupixent, now taking Adbry) and while I have travelled a fair bit, it’s typically been by car.

How would I travel with my eczema treatment?

Recently I had a trip planned that involved flying, and it coincided with when I was scheduled to take my injection. As soon as I realized that a slew of questions raced through my mind. Who will administer it, where will I store it, does the hotel room have a fridge with a reliable temperature, and the most stressful of all, how will I bring it on the airplane?

Why did my biologic need to be in my carry on?

Bringing it with me as a carry on was a must for several reasons. First off, the medication needs a stable temperature not too cold or hot, and the belly of the airplane can get very cold. If the medication froze, it won’t be effective. Second, if I put it in my checked luggage and my luggage got lost or delayed, it could be a real problem. I was travelling out of the country, so the possibility of going to a pharmacy to have a new prescription filled is not-that-simple, and it costs thousands of dollars. So, I knew I had to bring it with me to carry on, but that presented its own set of potential problems. This medication is an injection, which means it has a sharp needle, plus there’s liquid in there, and I have no idea if it’s more than the allowed 3oz. Since it needs to stay cold, it would require an ice pack, would they consider it a liquid, I was not sure.

Where did I look for more information?

I was at a loss about all these questions. I looked up border security and called the number, the person who answered was of no help, she was explaining to me the rules and regulations of importing medications, but that was not what I was concerned about. Next, I posted my question online, again I didn’t get much of a response there. I decided to call my doctor’s office, and the pharmacy and did the following. Lastly, I called a friend that I know has traveled with injections for a family member. She provided me with some tips and reassurance.

How did I prepare to fly with a biologic?

Here’s what I did, and hopefully this will be helpful to you, if you find yourself in a similar situation.

1. I asked my doctor to provide me with a letter, outlining my condition and how I am reliant on these medications. He also included in the letter that the medication needs to stay cool, and therefore the icepacks are necessary.
2. I reached out to my pharmacy, and they provided me with a new prescription label. The medication I use comes in a larger box, with 2 smaller boxes inside, I only had to bring one of those smaller boxes with me. I affixed the new prescription sticker on the box that I was bringing with me, ensuring that the box was a sealed box.

Thankfully I made it through security with my injections, ice packs, doctors’ letter with no problems!

What travel challenges have you experienced, and how did you navigate them? Please share in comment section below.