Can you travel internationally with prescribed injectable peptides, or bring them into the U.S.?

Coming back into the U.S. as a citizen

CBP's page on prohibited and restricted items advises U.S. citizens to travel only with their own medication, prescribed by a licensed physician or legally obtained in the U.S. It says that in most cases it is illegal for a citizen to obtain drugs abroad and import them for personal use.

Entering the U.S. as a non-citizen

For non-citizens, CBP advises carrying a valid prescription or doctor's note in English, keeping the medication in its original container, and bringing no more than needed. It gives a 90-day supply as a rule of thumb.

FDA personal importation policy

FDA's personal importation page describes a policy under which FDA may use discretion for small amounts of unapproved drugs for serious conditions. As we read it, the conditions include no effective domestic treatment, no U.S. promotion of the product, no unreasonable risk and a written statement of personal use, with quantity generally not more than a three-month supply. Read the page for the exact wording.

What this does not cover

• The rules of the country you are visiting. We have not sourced them, and they differ.
• Airport security screening, covered in our flying page.
• Whether a particular product is lawful to import. That depends on its regulatory status.