Can you travel with Viagra on a plane? Yes: Australia's airport screening rules allow "a reasonable amount of prescription and non-prescription medicines", and the official advice is to keep it in its original pack with your prescription or a letter from your doctor. Viagra is a prescription medicine in Australia — a doctor assesses you before prescribing it (healthdirect) — so the rules for travelling with prescription medicines apply. What the TGA cannot tell you is the law at the other end.
What do the Australian rules say about flying with Viagra?
Few restrictions apply when you leave; what varies is the law where you land. The TGA says "only a few restrictions are placed on what medicines and medical devices you can take when leaving Australia, other countries have different laws on what you can bring in" (TGA — Leaving Australia), and Smartraveller adds: "You can only take prescription medicine out of Australia if it's for personal use and limits apply" (Smartraveller). At the airport, Home Affairs' screening rules for international flights say: "You can bring a reasonable amount of prescription and non-prescription medicines and medical items required during a flight" (Home Affairs — what you can and can't bring).
Should Viagra go in your carry-on or your checked bag?
The two official pages put it differently. The TGA's advice is headed "Carry medicines and medical devices in your hand luggage". Home Affairs, whose rules apply at the screening point, says: "We recommend that you take only what you need for the flight in your carry-on baggage. You should pack the rest in your checked baggage. Screening officers have the final say on the amount permitted." Smartraveller suggests splitting your supply between bags, so that one lost or stolen bag does not leave you without any.
Whatever is in your carry-on may have to be shown: "You may be required to present medicines and medical items at the security screening point, along with proof that it is required such as a doctor's letter", and "For prescription medication, the name on the prescription label must match the name on your boarding pass" (Home Affairs).
What paperwork should travel with the tablets?
A letter from your doctor, and the pack itself. The TGA: "It's a good idea to carry a letter from your doctor detailing any prescription medicines you are taking with you. This should include the name of the medicine, how much you are taking and state that it is for your personal use only." Smartraveller asks for the same three things — what the medicine is, how much you'll take, and that it's for personal use — and says: "Always carry medication in its original packaging." Keeping the tablets in their pack also matters for the tablets themselves; see how should sildenafil be stored?, and for what genuine Viagra looks like, what colour are Viagra pills?
How do you check the rules at your destination?
Ask the country itself. The TGA "is not able to provide advice on the exact rules and regulations of each country"; its advice is: "If you or your doctor have any doubts about what you can take in, you should contact the appropriate Embassy or consulate. You can also check the 'Health' section of the country on the Smartraveller website." Smartraveller warns that "Some common medicines may even be considered illegal or a controlled substance", and says: "If you're taking medication with you, confirm it's legal in your destination or if any rules or restrictions apply." Two destinations have their own pages: can I bring Viagra to Thailand? and can Viagra be bought over the counter in Tenerife?
Smartraveller also warns that "Locally bought medication can be poor quality or counterfeit" — the signs of a fake are in how to identify real and fake Viagra pills.
What happens when you fly home to Australia?
The TGA's rules for entering Australia with medicines ask you to "Keep the product in its original packaging with dispensing labels (if possible)", to carry "the prescription or letter from your doctor that outlines what you are taking and how much you are bringing", and not to "bring in more than a 3-month supply" (TGA — Entering Australia). The Australian Border Force wants the letter or prescription "written in English", and says: "You should leave your medicine in its original packaging and declare it to the Australian Border Force when you arrive" (ABF — medicines and substances).
The short answer
You can fly with Viagra. Keep it in its original pack, carry your prescription or a doctor's letter naming the medicine and the amount, be ready to show it at screening, and check the destination's rules with its embassy or Smartraveller before you go. Declare it when you land back in Australia. The other safety questions about Viagra are answered in our guide to Viagra safety.
