Drug Use
The person suffering from narcolepsy and members of his or her family may have problems accepting drugs used for treatment. Many people regard amphetamines as inherently bad. They may regard the use of these drugs as a sign that the patient is a drug addict or 'speed freak'. It should be explained clearly that the drugs are not addictive when used properly.
Amphetamine, methylphenidate and mazindol are 'controlled' drugs. This places a serious responsibility on the doctor for writing the prescription correctly and on the pharmacist for how these drugs are stored and dispensed. Patients receiving controlled drugs should act responsibly and look after them, preventing unauthorised access to them. They should not be given to anyone other than the person for whom the prescription was dispensed.
When travelling abroad it is advisable to carry a letter from your GP or specialist addressed 'To whom it may concern' stating that the controlled drugs have been properly prescribed for the person named in the letter.
Since the 1st January 2007, the Home Office has issued new guidance
for travellers carrying controlled drugs out of the country. It states
that:
Those persons travelling for three month or more and carrying controlled
drugs will require a personal licence.
The advice from the Home Office is that controlled drugs should be:
- carried in original packaging;
- carried in hand luggage;
- carried with a valid personal import / export licence (if travelling
for three months or more);
- carried with a letter from the prescribing doctor confirming the
carrier’s name, destination, drug details and amounts;
- checked with the relevant embassy / consulate to enquire of any
restrictions in the country to be visited.
The Home Office also advises that:
(a) If a person is staying outside their resident country for a period
exceeding three months they are advised to register with a doctor in the
country they are visiting for the purpose of receiving further
prescriptions.
(b) Personal licences are normally issued with an expiry date of one
week after the expected return date to the UK (or one week after the
expected date of departure from the UK in the case of an import licence).
(c) A personal licence has no legal standing outside the UK and is
intended to allow travellers to pass through UK Customs unhindered.
Travellers are, therefore, advised to contact the Embassy or Consulate
of the country of destination (or any country through which they may be
travelling) to check for regulations or restrictions concerning
their particular drug(s) before embarking on their journey.
If a personal licence is required, an application form can be downloaded
by a patient from the Home Office
website. The application form needs to be submitted to the Home
Office along with a letter from the prescribing doctor, nurse or drug
worker confirming
the details.
There is no standard form of letter that should support the application,
but it would be advisable that the letter from the appropriate
healthcare professional gave details of:
- the patient’s name and current address;
- the name, form and strength of the preparation;
- the total quantities of drugs to be carried; and
- the dates of travel to and from the United Kingdom.
Sufficient time should be allowed for processing the application.
The Home Office website provides other useful information on travelling with prescribed drugs
For more information on taking controlled drugs out of the UK see the Narcolepsy UK's booklet "Narcolepsy - a patient's guide to treatment". Click here to download an application form to purchase this booklet.