Millions of Britons taking weight-loss injections have been urged to plan carefully when travelling with their medication this summer. Head of Pharmacy at Chemist4U Jason Murphy warned against storing jabs in hotel minibars, which may not maintain the required temperature.
Murphy advised contacting hotels in advance to arrange storage in a staff fridge. He emphasised that weight-loss injections must be kept refrigerated between 2°C and 8°C before use, though some can be stored at room temperature below 30°C for a limited time.
Travellers should use a medical-grade cool bag with ice packs and carry medication in hand luggage, not in the hold, due to lack of temperature control and risk of loss. Murphy recommended keeping the medication in its original packaging with a copy of the prescription or a signed letter from a pharmacist.
Customs rules vary by destination; countries such as Japan, the UAE, and Singapore have strict regulations. Murphy advised checking embassy rules before flying to avoid issues. He also noted that time zone changes may require adjusting injection schedules, suggesting setting an alarm based on the original UK schedule and gradually shifting to local time.
