Travel pharmacy: What should be included? The checklist

Whether a beach holiday, city or adventure trip – during vacations one wants to relax, discover new things and escape from everyday life. But just as one looks forward to the best time of the year, a small incident can quickly dampen the holiday mood: a sprained ankle, an upset stomach, or sunburn after a day at the beach. This is exactly where the travel pharmacy comes into play – an often underestimated but extremely important part of any travel preparation.

Why a travel pharmacy is so important

With a travel pharmacy, you have taken precautions for yourself and your family for the most common illnesses and minor injuries. In an emergency, it saves time, money and nerves, provides first aid on trips, and enables quick self-treatment for

• mild pain or fever
• gastrointestinal complaints
• allergic reactions
• injuries or insect bites
• jet lag, sleep problems, or motion sickness

Medications when traveling: Important medicines belong in the hand luggage

Chronically ill people who take medication regularly should take a generously calculated supply of medicines: Since it can always happen that the luggage arrives at the holiday destination late or gets lost, all medicines that need to be taken regularly should be stowed in the hand luggage.

Anyone who has to take a liquid medication on the plane should get a medical certificate that they can show during checks at the airport.

Travel pharmacy checklist: What it should contain

This range of active ingredients is sufficient for a healthy normal traveler. In addition, the scope of the travel pharmacy should be tailored to your individual needs and pre-existing conditions. Be sure to consult with your treating physician in advance.

Tip: Many pharmacies already offer pre-packed travel pharmacies with a selection of useful remedies.

1. Basic medication for typical ailments

• Painkillers & antipyretics (e.g. paracetamol, ibuprofen)
• Remedies for nausea and vomiting (e.g. Vomex, travel tablets)
• Remedies for diarrhea (e.g. loperamide, electrolytes)
• Remedies for constipation (e.g., Dulcolax)
• Heartburn and stomach remedies (e.g., Pantoprazole, antacids)
• Allergy medications (e.g., Cetirizine, Loratadine)

2. Wound care & first aid

• Disinfectants (spray or gel)
• Plasters (including blister plasters)
• Wound and healing ointment (e.g., Bepanthen)
• Gauze bandages, compresses, bandage material
• Tweezers, scissors, tick tongs

© Karolina grabowska

Pain relievers and fever reducers definitely belong in the travel first-aid kit.

3. Sun Protection & Insect Protection

• Sunscreen with high sun protection factor
• After-sun Care
• Insect spray and remedies for bites (e.g., Fenistil)

4. Individually Needed Medications

• Regularly taken medications
• Copies of prescriptions (important for customs or abroad)
• Allergy card
• Emergency medications (e.g., asthma spray, EpiPen)

5. Additional useful extras

• Digital thermometer
• Nasal spray & cough medicine
• Eye drops for dry air
• Earplugs & sleep mask for on the go
• Travel hand sanitizer

Tips for storing the travel pharmacy

1. Use a waterproof, well-sealed box or toiletry bag.
2. Make sure to store it in a cool, dry place (below 25 degrees Celsius) - many medicines do not tolerate heat.
3. Take packaging and package leaflet – especially important at customs checks or abroad.
4. Important medicines should be packed in sufficient quantities in hand luggage when flying.

Adapt travel pharmacy to travel destination & travel duration

Depending on your travel destination, travel type and travel duration, it may be useful to supplement or downsize your holiday pharmacy, because a short trip to Paris or Milan is certainly also sufficient with only a small travel pharmacy.

© Oliver Sjöström

When traveling to tropical areas, be sure to discuss your vaccination status with a doctor beforehand.

For tropical & long-distance travels:

• Important: Travelers to tropical regions should not take aspirin in case of acute illness on the go, advises the Professional Association of German Internists (BDI). The reason is the active ingredient acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) it contains, which can worsen the effects of certain tropical infectious diseases.
• Malaria prophylaxis (after medical consultation)
• Mosquito net, highly effective mosquito repellent (active ingredient DEET).
• Discuss vaccinations (e.g., Hepatitis A and B, typhoid, yellow fever) with your doctor up to 8 weeks before the start of the trip