Having medicines in your travel bag is second nature to most people, but if you’re not careful, those medicines to relieve a cough or treat painful gastric ulcers can land you in jail.
The general rules is that if you are under medication and if you are carrying certain prescribed medicines you must have doctor’s prescription in original and the medicines should be carried along with its original packing and literature so that custom authorities can easily identify them.
Some medicines, which are over-the-counter in other countries, are also considered controlled items in Qatar as they produce effects that contravene local laws.
- Many common cold and cough remedies, which you might assume to be harmless, must be accompanied by a prescription.
- Some sleeping tablets, painkillers, anti-depressants and hormone replacement therapy drugs are banned here.
- Some controlled drugs include alfentanil, amphetamine, codeine, fentanyl, ketamine, methadone, methyphenidate and morphine.
Guidelines for carrying medicines containing drugs or psychotropic substance
After the recent incidents involving Indian nationals being held at Doha airport for carrying medicines without prescription, Indian Embassy in Qatar has re-published a circular from Qatar’s Supreme Council of Health addressed to all embassies (originally published in November 2014).
The circular contains the procedures and regulations to be followed while carrying medicines containing either drugs or psychotropic substance by patients coming to Qatar or departing from here for their personal use.
Here are the main extracts from the circular :
1. It is prohibited to carry medicines and substances which are banned internationally and locally.
2. It s prohibited to carry medicines mentioned in the list (a) and list (b) of Law (9) issued in the year 1987, regarding anti-drugs and dangerous psychotropic substances. Likewise the items registered at schedule No. (3) of the same law (Link to the list is given below).
3. In order to carry such medicines, an application is to be given to the Department of Pharmacology and Drugs Control in the Supreme Council of Health.
Procedure for special permission
4. Permission would be granted to carry the medicines by the patients coming to State of Qatar for their personal use as per the following guidelines :
a) To attach detailed medical report attested by the hospital treated the patient. Medical report should not be older than six months.
The report must contain the following:
- Personal Details of the patient
- Medical diagnosis
- Treatment and duration
- Medical Prescriptions
- Scientific name of the medicines, Form and scheduled doses.
b) Or to attach the medical prescription in the name of the patient, attested by the same hospital and the prescription should not be older than six months.
The prescription must have the following:
Diagnosis of the disease
Scientific name of the medicines, Form and scheduled doses.
How to use and duration of treatment
Seal of the hospital
c) To pledge that only patient will use the medicine and will use on his responsibility.
d) To attach a copy of the ID card of the patient
5. Approval can be granted to carry medicines of 30-days maximum period or for the duration of the stay if the patient in Qatar, whatever is less, subject to validity of the medicines.
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Tag: Qatar , Qatar Legal , medicines