UPDATE - Traveling with Diabetes Supplies and Equipment

Source: American Diabetes Association
Publication date: 2001-10-10

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has implemented stepped-up security measures at the nation's airports in response to last month's tragic events. Some of the new security measures may affect airline passengers with diabetes. The American Diabetes Association recognizes the added inconvenience this may pose for individuals with diabetes, but understands the necessity to secure airline passenger safety.

Below please find a list of the most current information that the Association has received regarding people with diabetes who need to fly with their supplies and equipment within the 50 United States. We received this information verbally from a representative of the FAA's Aviation, Security Policy & Planning Division (Washington, D.C. headquarters). We have been told that the FAA will be issuing the security measures to air carriers within a few days in the form of a "security directive."

1. Passengers may board with syringes or insulin delivery systems only if they can produce a vial of insulin with a professional, pharmaceutical pre-printed label, which clearly identifies the medication. No exceptions will be made.

Since the prescription label is on the outside of the box containing the vial of insulin, the FAA recommends that passengers refrain from discarding their insulin box and come prepared with their vial of insulin in its original pharmaceutically labeled box.

2. For passengers who have diabetes and must test their blood glucose levels but who do not require insulin, boarding with their lancets is acceptable as long as the lancets are capped, and as long as the lancets are brought on with the glucose meter that has the manufacturer's name embossed on the meter (i.e. One Touch meters say "One Touch," Accucheck meters say "Accucheck").

3. Glucagon is dispensed and normally kept in a pre-printed labeled plastic container or box. We advise those people with diabetes who are traveling to keep their glucagon kit intact in its original pre-printed pharmaceutically labeled container.

4. Contrary to what we were told previously, because of forgery concerns, prescriptions and letters of medical necessity will not be accepted.

Publication date: 2001-10-10