Travelers' Health Kit
Attention, international travelers! Save room in your suitcase for your Travelers' Health Kit. Use this as a guide for packing items you will need to stay healthy on your trip—such as sunscreen and insect repellent, prescription medicines, and basic first-aid items.
There's a lot to think about when you are preparing to travel to a different country! When you're planning what to take on your trip, don't forget to pack a Travelers' Health Kit in your luggage. It's a good idea to keep all medicines, especially prescriptions, in your carry-on bags. Because of airline security rules, sharp objects and some liquids and gels will have to remain in checked luggage.
Here are a few items you might want to include in your kit.
- Basic First-Aid Items
- Adhesive bandages
- Gauze
- Elastic wrap for sprains
- Antiseptic
- Tweezers
- Scissors
- Digital thermometer
- Antibacterial and antifungal ointments/creams
- 1% hydrocortisone cream
- Moleskin for blisters
- Aloe gel for sunburns
- Lubricating eye drops
- First-aid quick reference card
- Medicines
- Acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, or another medicine for pain or fever
- Antacid
- Over-the-counter antidiarrheal medicine (such as bismuth subsalicylate or loperamide)
- Antibiotic for self-treatment of moderate to severe diarrhea
- Oral rehydration solution packets
- Mild laxative
- Antihistamine
- Decongestant (alone or in combination with antihistamine)
- Cough suppressant/expectorant
- Throat lozenges
- Personal medicines:
- Any prescription or over-the-counter drugs you take on a regular basis
- Epinephrine auto-injector (such as EpiPen), if you have a severe allergy
- Anti-malaria drugs, if needed
- Other Important Items
- Insect repellent
- Sunscreen (at least SPF 15)
- Antibacterial hand wipes or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol)
- Other items, depending on your destination and possible activities:
- Water purification tablets
- Mild sedative (such as zolpidem) or other sleep aid
- Anti-anxiety medicine
- Medicine to prevent or treat altitude illness
- Latex condoms
- Contact Card
- Address/phone numbers of area hospitals or clinics; see Doctors/Hospitals Abroad (US Department of State)
- Address/phone number of the American Embassy or Consulate in your destination; see Web sites of U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions (US Department of State)
When you travel with medicines:
- Make sure you carry them in their original containers with clear labels, so it's clear what medicines they are.
- If you are taking any prescription medicines, carry along a copy of the prescription, including the generic names for medicines.
- If you are carrying any controlled substances or injectable medicines, carry a note on letterhead stationery from your doctor to explain your reason for having this medicine.
More Information
- See the Travelers' Health Kit section of the CDC Health Information for International Travel 2008.
- Remember that CDC recommends you talk to a doctor familiar with travel medicine 4-6 weeks before your trip to make sure you have any vaccines or medicines you need to stay healthy. See the Travelers' Health Web site for more information.