Media Release
Bad Medicine on Border Security
19 September 2006
Australians need to be aware of their responsibilities when travelling overseas with medication bought under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), Minister for Human Services, the Hon. Joe Hockey, advised today.
As part of a campaign by Medicare Australia and the Australian Customs Service, PBS medicines are being targeted to ensure they are not taken overseas and sold illegally.
This type of unlawful activity will be demonstrated this week on the Australian television program, Border Security .
In a story aired on 19 September, the program outlines how $10,000 worth of prescription medicine was seized after it was found in the luggage of a passenger travelling to Vietnam .
"People travelling overseas with PBS medicine need to be aware of the regulations for travel and what can and cannot be taken overseas", Minister Hockey said.
"This program should act as a warning to people trying to smuggle medicine purchased through the PBS scheme. Tax payers are footing the bill for this illegal activity because the medicine is bought under the PBS at a greatly reduced cost and then sold overseas."
Minister Hockey said his message to the Australian public is: "don't get your holidays off to a bad start by getting caught transporting prescription medicine without approval". The penalty for illegally exporting PBS medicine can be a fine of up to $5000, up to two years imprisonment, or both.
Mr Hockey said that overseas travellers can take some simple steps to ensure that they don't run into trouble whilst on their holiday.
"Talk to your doctor if you need to travel with PBS medicine and ask for a letter detailing what the medicine is for, the dosage required, and ensure the letter states that the medicine is for personal use", the Minister said.
Before leaving Australia travellers should also contact the relevant embassy to ensure the medicine they are taking with them is legal in the country they are travelling to. It is also important to leave medicine in original packaging so that it can be easily identified by Customs.
"It's not only travellers who should take heed of this warning. Customs also search mail packages heading overseas and the same penalties apply if PBS medicine is being sent illegally," Mr Hockey said.
Contact: James Chessell - Media Adviser - 0437 978 028.