Friend from USA needs medication when visiting us here in UK

loops81

Hi guys,

My friend who lives in Virginia USA wants to come and visit me for a few months, 6 months max, but whilst here she will need medication for an ongoing medical condition, she has never come here before so would it be a problem for her to get her medication she needs here in the UK.

The doctors in the USA only give her 1 months supply of her medication at a time so will definitely need some while here, how would she go about getting her medication?

Does she need a European health card or something?

Thanks

loops x

debsy42

You may find some information here helpful

zzzLazyDaisy

She won't get a European Health Card, as she is not an EU citizen.

She should check the position with her medical insurer in US. Some types of US insurance include health cover abroad, in which case she may be covered for the cost of essential medicines while she is away from home.

To be honest, these are questions she should be asking of her medical advisers/insurers in the US, as they will be in a better position to advise her, since it can't be an unknown event for a US citizen on medication to leave the country for more than one month.

ferf1223

loops81 wrote: »

The doctors in the USA only give her 1 months supply of her medication at a time so will definitely need some while here, how would she go about getting her medication?

You don't say if there is a reason that her US doctor only gives 1 month supply at a time - if it's because she needs to have tests/some sort of monitoring monthly then it may be a bigger question than just getting her prescription.

But I agree with those that have suggested speaking to her doctor or pharmacist what options are available which are likely to depend on a variety of factors we don't have.

withabix

If she needs medicines prescribing whilst she is in the UK, she will need to see to take out suitable medical or travel insurance before she leaves the USA, or she will need to get a private appointment with a doctor in the UK, who will give her a private prescription.

Otherwise, she needs to get 6 months' worth of medicines before she leaves the USA.

Her medicines may not be available here, or they may just be over-the-counter medicines here.