OTC and prescription Medications- what does labeled mean?

[tampitt]

I'm going to be flying in June and it's been the late 90s since i last flew.  I was wondering about medications. I always carry a couple migraine pills with me in my purse.  Do i have to have those in the box with prescription information or is in a ziplocked labeled with a marker ok?  Same thing for OTC meds like allgery and headache, do i have to have everything in the orignal box?  That's alot of boxes to have to pack.

[franktravel]

From TSA Prescription medication!

Medications in pill or other solid form must undergo security screening. It is recommended that medication be clearly labeled to facilitate the screening process. Check with state laws regarding prescription medication labels.

You are responsible for displaying, handling, and repacking the medication when screening is required. Medication can undergo a visual or X-ray screening and may be tested for traces of explosives.

Inform the TSA Officer

Inform the TSA officer that you have medically necessary liquids and/or medications and separate them from other belongings before screening begins. Also declare accessories associated with your liquid medication such as freezer packs, IV bags, pumps and syringes. Labeling these items can help facilitate the screening process.

3-1-1 Liquids Rule Exemption

You may bring medically necessary liquids, medications and creams in excess of 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters in your carry-on bag. Remove them from your carry-on bag to be screened separately from the rest of your belongings. You are not required to place your liquid medication in a plastic zip-top bag. If a liquid, gel, or aerosol declared as medically-necessary alarms, then it may require additional screening and may not be allowed

Accessories

Ice packs, freezer packs, gel packs, and other accessories may be presented at the screening checkpoint in a frozen or partially-frozen state to keep medically necessary items cool. All items, including supplies associated with medically necessary liquids such as IV bags, pumps, and syringes must be screened before they will be permitted into the secure area of the airport.

Screening

TSA officers may test liquids, gels or aerosols for explosives or concealed prohibited items. If officers are unable to use X-ray to clear these items, they may ask to open the container and transfer the content to a separate empty container or dispose of a small quantity of the content, if feasible.

Inform the TSA officer if you do not want your liquid medication to be screened by X-ray or opened. Additional steps will be taken to clear the liquid and you will undergo additional screening procedures to include a pat-down and screening of other carry-on property.

[mutparker]

I will be traveling next week.  I take both prescription and OTC supplements.  I take so many that I have them organized in a "pill box".  I want to include these in my carry on, is this allowed?  Or do I have to have them in their original bottles?  None of the prescriptions are Narcotic.  Only blood pressure and thryoid.

[DancingDavidE · Accepted solution]

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@mutparker wrote:

I will be traveling next week.  I take both prescription and OTC supplements.  I take so many that I have them organized in a "pill box".  I want to include these in my carry on, is this allowed?  Or do I have to have them in their original bottles?  None of the prescriptions are Narcotic.  Only blood pressure and thryoid.

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I would expect very little issue from bringing a pill box and as long as you can explain each one you should be okay. 

My guess is that the TSA team will be more interested in discussing any large quanties of any one kind of medicine coming through. I've never had an issue with my weekly prescription container or jars of ibuprofin.

You might be more likely to be tested if you bring a three month supply of an unlabled substance.

[HeidiSRQ · Accepted solution]

Regarding any controlled substance, if you carry pills always keep the prescription information with you. If the boxes/bottles are too large you could take a photo of the pill with the label and print those.  Carry those  with you to show everything coincides and of course keep your ID handy.

Enjoy your flight!