Peer Reviewed
Travel medicine update

Travellers’ medical kits – what to pack

Jonathan Cohen
Abstract

As part of the pretravel consultation, it is important for general practitioners to advise intending travellers on the need to carry appropriate medical items.

Key Points

    Appropriate medical items to pack may vary from just aspirin and bandaids for a one-day business trip through to a fully stocked emergency case for long term expatriates in Third World areas without immediate access to quality health care. Planning ahead and suggesting ‘what if’ scenarios to the traveller may go a long way in preventing illness.

    Depending on the destination, medical supplies obtainable overseas may not have the same high standard of quality control as in Australia. There have been many anecdotal cases of medication substitution, use of unknown substances, inappropriate dosages and date expiry.

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