Post Insulin to Oz from USA - possible?

• 

  Save Medicare on 08/08/2014 - 16:05

  +1

  Pretty sure you need to keep insulin refrigerated

• 

  BuyoTheCat on 08/08/2014 - 16:19

  +1

  poor thing.
  from the below page. it seems like it is ok
  http://www.tga.gov.au/consumers/personal-importation-scheme.…

  Personal Importation Scheme

  Under the Personal Importation Scheme you may import a 3 month supply (at the maximum dose recommended by the manufacturer) of unapproved therapeutic goods into Australia without any approval required by the TGA provided that:

  the goods are for your own treatment or the treatment of your immediate family; and
  you do not supply (sell or give) the medicine to any other person; and
  where possible, you keep the medicines or medical devices in their original packaging with any dispensing labels intact; and
  the goods are not restricted under Australian Customs controls or quarantine rules and the goods do not contain a controlled substance; and
  the goods are not injections that contain material of human or animal origin (except insulin); and
  the total quantity of the goods imported within a 12 month period does not exceed 15 months supply of the goods (for medicines, at the maximum dose recommended by the manufacturer); and
  if the goods are medicines in Schedule 4 or 8 of the Poisons Standard a prescription from an Australian-registered medical practitioner is held for the medicines.
  You cannot import more than a 3 month supply under the personal importation scheme. If you wish to bring more than 3 months supply into Australia, an Australian-registered doctor will first need to apply to the TGA for Special Access Scheme approval.

• 

  Amaris on 08/08/2014 - 16:53

  To digress, the exclusion for diabetes would be for 1 year only.

• 

  Emilia on 08/08/2014 - 17:32

  I am guessing your friend is from the United States so she can't get Reciprocal Health Care through Medicare?

  Also, how is the other friend in the United States able to get the medication for her when she doesn't have a prescription over there?

  Insulin can be left out of the refrigerator for 28 days at 25 degrees Celcius. However, once you receive it, you can't just put it back in the fridge. The expiry on the box no longer applies. It will only be good for 28 days.

  • 

    Mon Gol on 09/08/2014 - 07:50

    Emilia thank you, something to think about.

    No, she is not from US.

    • 

      Emilia on 09/08/2014 - 20:22

      As a resident of one of these countries, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, Belgium, Norway, Slovenia, Malta and Italy, you are entitled to the following health or injury treatments while you are in Australia:

      free treatment as a public in-patient or out-patient in a public hospital
      subsidised medicine under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
      Medicare benefits for out-of-hospital treatment provided by a doctor

      ---

      Any of those countries?

      • 

        Mon Gol on 10/08/2014 - 11:35

        Emilia, no….
        She is from Central Asia as well as myself. But interesting piece of info, thank you.

• 

  shannonn54 on 08/08/2014 - 17:38

  @OP as a type 2 diabetic I may have some advice for your friend
  PM me

  • 

    Mon Gol on 09/08/2014 - 07:52

    Shannonn54,
    Sent you a message. Thank you

• 

  sparkles on 08/08/2014 - 20:21

  +3

  Out of interest, how much is the insulin at full cost?

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 08/08/2014 - 20:25

    +1

    Curious myself. Its amazing how expensive some medicines, tests and treatments are without us realising (thanks to the govt. covering so much for us).

  • 

    cytotoxic on 09/08/2014 - 14:45

    $433 for 5 boxes of Lantus Solostar (5 pens in each box)
    $264 for 5 boxes of Novorapid cartridges (5 cartridges in each box)
    With Medicare card each is $36.90. With Centrelink card each is $6.

    The problem with posting insulin is that you don't know what kind of conditions it will be subjected to during transport. If they are exposed to heat then the proteins will be denatured. If they are exposed to sub zero temps then the process of freezing will destroy the protein bonds as well.
    Not only would this reduce the effect of the insulin, it may also make it immunogenic, so she may have a severe allergic reaction.

    • 

      easternculture on 09/08/2014 - 16:45

      Insulin can stay out of the fridge in room temperature (away from sun light) for 30 days from opening it (spiking with a needle). If you need to store more than 1 month worth, then excess pens needs to be refrigerated.

      https://www.bd.com/us/diabetes/page.aspx?cat=7001&id=7247

      • 

        cytotoxic on 09/08/2014 - 17:12

        Of course, under 25 or 30 degrees in a cupboard in the house not a problem, but how hot does it get during transport?
        If the package is left out in the sun on the tarmac while loading, left in a depot or in the back of a truck during summer then exposure to 40+ temps during transport can have an effect. You certainly wouldn't leave a pen of insulin on the dashboard of your car during summer.
        It could be fine, but there's no guarantee. That's why these types drugs are normally transported to stringent cold chain standards.

        1 box contains 5 x 3ml cartridges. 1ml = 100IU of insulin. Therefore 1 box has 1500 IU of insulin to be used within 30 days. Depending o her dose she may or may not get through it in a month.

        Whatever she decides to do, it's no skin off my nose

• 

  easternculture on 08/08/2014 - 20:31

  What type of insulin is she on

  • 

    Mon Gol on 08/08/2014 - 22:23

    She is on Lantus Solostar and Novorapid