Medicinal products and narcotics
The trade with medicinal products and narcotics is strictly regulated in Germany in order to protect public health and to combat illegal drug trafficking.
Learn here what to consider if you take along medicines when travelling.
Medicinal products as travel necessities
Legal basis
The provisions governing the movement of medicinal products can be found in the German Medicinal Products Act (Arzneimittelgesetz - AMG).
What are medicinal products?
Medicinal products are substances or preparations of substances which
- are intended for use in or on the bodies of humans or animals, and which are intended to be agents that heal or palliate or prevent human or animal diseases or pathological complaints (these are known as medicinal products by presentation, because they are seen as such by the consumer solely by reason of their presentation, for example, by their packaging or packaging leaflet), or
can be used in or on the bodies of humans or animals, or can be administered to humans or animals, in order to either
- restore, correct, or influence physiological functions through a pharmacological, an immunological, or a metabolic effect, or
- to make a medical diagnosis
(known as medicinal products by function, which are medicines solely on the basis of their objective character, independently of their presentation).
Exiting Germany
Travellers exiting Germany may take medicinal products for their personal requirements with them; the German Medicinal Products Act does not include any relevant restrictions. You should request information about the regulations that apply to such medicinal products when entering the relevant destination country, at that country’s diplomatic mission.
Other regulations that must be observed
In addition, preparations containing certain vegetable or animal substances may also be subject to the provisions on the protection of species.
Further information about the provisions on the protection of species
Medicinal products that fall under the Narcotic Drugs Act
Legal basis
The regulations governing the transport of narcotics can be found in the Narcotic Drugs Act (Betäubungsmittelgesetz - BtMG) and in the Ordinance concerning the Foreign Trade in Narcotics (Betäubungsmittel-Außenhandelsverordnung - BtMAHV).
What are narcotics?
Narcotics are the substances and preparations listed in Annexes I to III of the Narcotic Drugs Act.
Medicines containing narcotics carried as travel necessities
Special provisions that apply to medicinal products such as morphine that fall under the Narcotic Drugs Act must be observed; they must therefore be specifically prescribed by the attending doctor.
Travellers may take with them appropriate quantities of narcotics that have been prescribed in this way by their doctors for their own use during the period of their travel abroad. However, depending on their destination, travellers must comply with a number of conditions described below.
Travelling into countries that are members of the Schengen Agreement
Travellers may carry narcotics that have been prescribed by a doctor, while travelling for a period of up to 30 days into the states of the Schengen area, if they are in possession of a certificate pursuant to Article 75 of the Schengen Agreement, that has been completed by the attending doctor and that has been certified prior to the journey by the highest regional health authority or by a competent body acting on behalf of that health authority. You can find additional relevant information and the form mentioned (downloadable PDF file) on the website of the Federal Institute of Drugs and Medical Devices (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte - BfArM).
The provision on carrying narcotics within the states of the Schengen area also applies to travellers from the states of the Schengen area entering Germany, even if the narcotics that are being carried are prescribable narcotic drugs in the country of origin, but not in Germany.
Travelling in countries outside the Schengen area
When travelling to countries outside the Schengen area patients should ask the prescribing doctor to issue a multilingual certificate giving details of individual and daily doses, the name of the active ingredient, and the period of travel, and have such certificate with them while travelling. Although there is no set form for this certificate, it must be legalised by the highest competent regional health authority or by a body acting on behalf of that health authority.
You can find a sample of such a certificate (downloadable PDF file) on the website of the Federal Institute of Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM)
Because there are not any uniform provisions for travellers carrying narcotics outside the Schengen area they should prior to travelling inquire about the relevant provisions in the diplomatic missions of their destination and transit countries, and always observe them.
