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Update September 26:
The TSA has updated their webpage on medications for Travelers with Disabilities and Medical Conditions,
You may bring all prescription and over-the-counter medications (liquids, gels, and aerosols) including KY jelly, eye drops, and saline solution for medical purposes.
Additonal items you may bring include:
- Liquids including water, juice, or liquid nutrition or gels for passengers with a disability or medical condition;
- Life-support and life-sustaining liquids such as bone marrow, blood products, and transplant organs;
- Items used to augment the body for medical or cosmetic reasons such as mastectomy products, prosthetic breasts, bras or shells containing gels, saline solution, or other liquids; and,
- Gels or frozen liquids needed to cool disability or medically related items used by persons with disabilities or medical conditions.
You are not limited in the amount or volume of these items you may bring in your carry-on baggage. BUT if the medically necessary items exceed 3 ounces or are not contained in a one-quart, zip-top plastic bag, you MUST declare to one of our Security Officers at the checkpoint for further inspection.
Update August 17, 5:30AM Eastern Time:
Maybe I missed it, or maybe it’s new, but the TSA does discuss something vaguely called “associated supplies” and “related supplies” at its undated webpage Travelers with Disabilities and Medical Conditions:
To prevent your medication, associated supplies or fragile medical materials for contamination or damage, we will ask you to display, handle, and repack your own medication and associated supplies during visual inspection. Any medication and/or associated supplies that we can’t clear visually will be X-rayed. If you refuse, you will not be permitted to carry your medications and related supplies into the sterile area.
This may well be the loophole allowing PWD to carry syringes, meters, and cooling containers through security checkpoints to carry onto airplanes.
My advice:
- Print out the entire TSA page (CLICK HERE)
- Circle the paragraph mentioned above.
- Ask your physician or diabetes educator to put a note on office letterhead stationary and sign it, verifying that you have diabetes and require these supplies (insulin, Byetta, Symlin, pills, syringes, meters, strips, cooling containers). Be sure that the “associated supplies” are clearly identified as such!
- Bring the letter as well as your supplies and be prepared for some warm smiles from the overworked TSA employees!
Update August 16, 7AM Eastern Time:
TSA has revised the exception list again. Now medical prostethics are okay, but still no mention of cooling devices for insulin, Byetta, and other medications:
Gel-filled bras and similar prostethics worn for medical reasons
Update August 14, 7:30PM Eastern Time:
TSA fixed the exception list.
Exceptions: Baby formula and breast milk if a baby or small child is traveling; prescription medicine with a name that matches the passenger’s ticket; up to 8 oz. of liquid or gel low blood sugar treatment and up to 4 oz. of non-prescription liquid medications.
Update August 14, 7AM Eastern Time:
As of August 13, the TSA has loosened its restrictions somewhat, and now lists restrictions as
Exceptions: Baby formula and breast milk if a baby or small child is traveling; prescription medicine with a name that matches the passenger’s ticket; up to 8 oz of liquid or gel insulin and up to 4 oz. of non-prescription liquid medications.
Although this says “liquid or gel insulin”, there is no such thing as “gel insulin” and many news reports identified the gel as the gooey sugar products that some PWD use to treat hypoglycemia.
They also have a nice summary page called Travelers with Disabilities and Medical Conditions.
August 12:
After the recent terrorism threat about exploding liquid bombs on airplanes, there’s been a lot of concern about the TSA’s new restrictions on carry-ons. As of this morning (August 12), the TSA website states:
Q: Will there be any exceptions to the banned liquids?
A: The following items are permitted to be carried aboard the aircraft:
- Passengers traveling with infants may bring baby formula.
- Prescription medicine that matches the passenger’s name.
- Essential non-prescription medicines such as insulin are permitted.
It’s such a specialized topic that I’m opening a new Discussion Forum to address this topic. Here are some potential solutions that have been suggested:
- Traveling forum, entry 767: I emphatically do not suggest putting Byetta in checked luggage, not even in the thermos. There is no way to be sure that you’ll get your luggage at the same time you arrive. I have had my luggage lost so many times.
- Byetta forum, entry 3752: It appears that you can bring your Byetta to the airport check-in line in any disposable carrier you want, then hand off the carrier to a friend who’s not flying, and that you can plan to have someone meet you at the arrival area and have another one ready to go. Or you can do a last-minute switch, moving your carrier into your checked luggage. But also keep close track of how long your Byetta is out of refrigeration, and carry extra prescriptions so that you can buy more whereever you land (remembering of course that Byetta is available in only a few countries, so that’s probably not possible if you’re flying internationally).
- Byetta forum, entry 3753: Suggestion from a frequent flyer: ice baggie pen on way to airport, pitch bag at door. Drinks are available after check-in while you’re waiting for flight, get ice from vender to keep pen cool, pitch before boarding plane. Get ice from attendant during flight.
Since the rules have now been in effect for a few days, perhaps some of our readers have flown, and can report what happened. If you have flown, please indicate if it was a flight totally within the United States or which countries were involved.
Bill the diabetesdoc
wwq@diabetesmonitor.com
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