Went to visit my new grandson (7weeks) in New York so bought a Cool Bag for transporting my biologic meds. Very careful to follow instructions to use it properly so meds would stay cold for at least12 hours but:
Outbound Heathrow Security officer insisted on opening the cool bag but just swabbed the inside and shut it again. Temperature rose fast but soon fell again and I wrapped bag in a sweater to help it stay cool. That worked fine.
Coming home Security at JFK was a nightmare. Woman officer gave me a funny look (I’m wearing an FFP3 black mask and in a disabled assistance wheelchair). I think she decided then to give me a hard time. Showed her the papers I got from Healthnet Homecare explaining the contents of the cool bag. She insisted on opening it and walked away to show another officer. I begged her just to swab it as had been done in Heathrow security. She came back after a couple of minutes with the bag still open and pulled out my remaining spare pre-filled pen (took a spare in case I had a faulty pen) and examined it carefully. It looked as though she might take the top off (rendering it useless) but thankfully she didn’t. However she then tried to take apart the thermometer wallet and its probe inside. By this time I was really freaking out and begging her to close it up. Finally she zipped up the case and handed it back to me with a sneering look but without a word. By then the temperature window showed 7.9 degrees Celsius. The whole point of the bag is to keep its contents between 2 and 8 degrees for my whole journey.
I got wheeled to the nearest bar and drank a large glass of red wine and tried to calm down. I have decided not to use that pen as it came so close to being spoiled and it may have been X-rayed - I just don’t know.
I will write to Healthnet and ask them to add to their covering documentation for examination of any refrigerated medicine quickly so the contents are not spoiled. I will also write to Syringa U.K. who market the cold bag to mark the outer case clearly (or provide a warning sleeve) that it should be kept open for the minimum amount of time necessary. I hope. they will both take note.
Perhaps I was just unlucky but do be prepared to have a similar experience.
Written by
Lolabridge
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Unfortunately your experience is not unusual at JFK…..you should just see the third degree that can result if the officials find a forgotten apple in your cabin bag! So injectable drugs is manna from heaven to them.
I’m afraid It won’t matter who you write to, because US Security at airports is the most intrusive in the world….and the only way to get through it - is to smile & keep quiet. Next time you fly there…..have the red wine before you pass through security!
Most biologics can be kept at room temperature, usually as long as it doesn’t go above 25 degrees, for 2-4 weeks. Mine has just been updated to 30 degrees for 31 days. So your biologic may have been fine to use. Hopefully you had a lovely time in New York, making new memories o🤗
I think they are just doing their job but it is frustrating.I find at Manchester airport it’s bad as they won’t listen or are just not familiar with biologic drugs.I Hand paperwork over n explain they can’t go through scanner quite a few times to different people who they summon.I even underline the words on the paperwork to make it easier for them to see..Sometimes they don’t bring them back and leave them elsewhere so I have to ask for them.Meanwhile my husband and friends have gone through security long ago.I prefer Birmingham airport..Staff are friendlier.I have now opted to have my biologic by infusion so I have it just once a month .Less hassle
I had a totally different experience: two weeks ago I flew from Manchester. I took a Methotrexate pen along with other drugs through security. I placed it in a clear poly bag with my other pills in their doset box on the tray after pointing it out to the security staff. The poly bag wasn’t even examined just went through the X-ray machine unhindered. I paid pay the extra couple of pounds for speedy security and it was very early morning which may have made a difference. Fortunately methotrexate pens don’t need to be refrigerated. Maybe I shouldn’t have put the pen through the scanner! Does scanning harm drugs?
Sorry you had this experience because mine has been the opposite. Have flown out of Birmingham, East Mids and Heathrow .. through Malaysia, Singapore, Greece, Spain, Italy and not even taken pens (methotrexate and biologic) out of cool bag in hand luggage. Not the slightest bit interested!! Perhaps JFK was on high alert 🤷♀️
Many thanks for your heads up. I'll bet the whole horrible hassle was worthwhile when you met your new grandson though? That first cuddle is so gorgeous isn't it? Reckon I'm an addict
Sorry for your experience with our TSA. Unfortunately, there are "tough guys" everywhere. Obviously, someone forgot to tell them we are paying customers.
I'm afraid that many of the staff at USA airports are extremely unpleasant and regard anyone who is not American, or even from the locality to the airport, with great suspicion. I've been in queue in a corridor and had a gun pulled on us because, I think, we were not standing still, threatened with jail for not being able to put my rheumatoid affected finger flat on the fingerprint taking plate, and then had my finger smashed down causing me to shout with pain, and many other unpleasant experiences.
Having a glass of wine might be good advice as long as it doesn't loosen your tongue...be calm, be persistent with requests, but expect them not to be heard.
Point of clarification, our TSA mistreats everyone. No one is exempted. Consider it free tolerance therapy. Once you've mastered NYC-LHR, upgrade to Florida-Panama.
USA might be hard and I’ve not done NY but Dulles Washington and they were nice. You should try Russia ! I’m so happy you’ve seen your grandson . They grow so fast. Xxx
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