Forgot Your Meds? How to Get Scripts While Traveling

In 2022–23, more than 17.8 million Australians—about 67% of the population—had at least one PBS prescription dispensed. In the year ending December 2024, Aussies also took around 115 million domestic overnight trips.

Put those together and you get a very modern, very Australian problem: at some point, a huge number of us are travelling while relying on regular medication—and sooner or later, someone in the family will leave their pills sitting on the kitchen bench.

Maybe it’s your blood pressure tablets on a work trip to Brisbane, your asthma preventer on a camping holiday, or your contraceptive pill on a spontaneous weekend away. Cue that sinking feeling: “I’ve forgotten my meds… what now?”

In this post, we’ll walk through exactly what to do if you:

• forget to pack your medicine
• lose a paper script (or spill coffee all over it)
• run out completely and need an emergency prescription while away

We’ll look at how online prescription Australia services and telehealth scripts work, when they’re appropriate, and when you really do need in‑person care. As an Australian telehealth clinic, we’ll also explain how we at NextClinic can help you get a safe, fast script renewal from almost anywhere in the country—without sitting in a waiting room.

By the end, you’ll have a practical “travel with medication” game plan, so a forgotten box of tablets doesn’t ruin your holiday, work trip, or romantic getaway.

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Why forgetting your meds on holiday is so common

If you take regular tablets, you’re in very good company. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports that in 2022–23, PBS prescriptions were dispensed to about two‑thirds of Australians, with over half of all PBS medicines going to people aged 65 and over.

At the same time, Australians are constantly on the move within our own borders—more than 115 million domestic overnight trips were recorded in the year ending December 2024. Long weekends, interstate work trips, footy finals, festivals, road trips, family visits…it all adds up.

When you mix:

• tight packing timelines
• early‑morning flights
• kids, pets, surfboards and snack bags
• and a daily medication routine that usually lives on your bedside table

…forgetting something important is almost guaranteed eventually.

The good news? In most cases, you do not need to panic. But you do need a clear plan, and you need to know when a telehealth script is enough and when you should seek urgent in‑person help.

Travel‑proof your medicines: simple steps before you leave

Before we get into disaster‑management, it’s worth spending 5–10 minutes on prevention. Australian government agencies give consistent advice on travelling with medicines, especially if you’ll be flying or crossing borders.

Here’s a practical pre‑trip checklist:

1. Pack more than you think you’ll need

• Aim for at least a few extra days’ worth beyond your planned return date.
• For longer trips (especially overseas), government guidance suggests no more than 3 months’ supply under the traveller’s exemption, and you must have a valid prescription and keep medicines for personal use only.

Even for a weekend away, a spare strip of tablets can rescue you if your return flight is delayed or you stay an extra night.

2. Keep medicines in original packaging

The TGA and TGA‑linked resources repeatedly advise keeping medicines in their original pharmacy packaging with the dispensing label attached.

That:

• helps pharmacists or doctors identify exactly what you’re taking
• avoids customs or airport security issues
• reduces the risk of mix‑ups, especially if tablets look similar

3. Always use your carry‑on

Airport security rules allow you to carry “a reasonable amount” of prescription and non‑prescription medicines in your hand luggage, provided you can show they’re required—often via a script label or doctor’s letter.

So:

• Never check essential medications in your suitcase
• If something must be kept cool, invest in a small insulated pouch
• If possible, split critical meds between two people’s carry‑on bags in case one bag goes astray

4. Set up eScripts and, if useful, an Active Script List

Electronic prescriptions (eScripts) are now standard across Australia. Your prescriber can send you a QR‑style token by SMS or email; you show that token at any participating pharmacy to collect your medicine.

Key advantages for travellers:

• No paper script to misplace or spill coffee on
• If you delete the SMS or email, your prescriber or pharmacy can resend it
• With an Active Script List (ASL), you don’t even have to keep track of tokens—pharmacies can access your active electronic prescriptions with your consent

If you’re on multiple long‑term meds and travel frequently, it’s worth asking your local pharmacy about setting up an ASL before your next trip.

5. Do a “medication rehearsal” the night before

Just like laying out your passport and charger, get into the habit of a quick medicine check:

• Daily prescription meds
• Inhalers, insulin, or other devices
• PRN (“as needed”) meds you rely on (migraine tablets, anti‑nausea, EpiPen, etc.)
• Basic over‑the‑counter items (paracetamol, antacids, antihistamines)

Our own post on Autumn Holiday Health Tips for Aussie Families has a good medication checklist section if you’re travelling with kids.

Even with perfect planning, though, life happens. So let’s talk about what to do when it goes wrong.

Scenario 1: You left your meds at home but you’re still in Australia

This is the classic “weekend at the in‑laws and the pill is sitting on the bathroom shelf at home” moment.

First question: how urgent is this medicine?

Broadly:

• Immediately critical meds – like insulin, some heart rhythm drugs, anti‑seizure medicines – need urgent attention if missed.
• Important but not instantly dangerous meds – like blood pressure tablets, cholesterol meds, some antidepressants – can usually tolerate a short delay (but you still want to sort a replacement promptly).
• Timing‑sensitive but not life‑threatening meds – like the oral contraceptive pill – may require specific “missed pill” instructions and possibly emergency contraception depending on timing.

Everyone’s situation is different, so this article can’t replace personalised advice—but it can guide your next step.

Step 1: Call your usual pharmacy or GP (if they’re open)

If it’s business hours and you’re not too far from home base:

• Your usual pharmacy may be able to see existing eScripts or repeats in their system.
• Your usual GP might offer a quick telehealth consultation and issue an eScript you can use at a pharmacy near where you’re staying.

Because electronic prescriptions can usually be dispensed at any Australian pharmacy, your home doctor can often help even when you’re interstate.

Step 2: If you can’t reach them, consider a telehealth script

If you’re in a hotel room in Cairns on a Sunday afternoon and your usual GP is closed, this is where an online prescription Australia service can be extremely handy—for the right kinds of medicines.

At NextClinic, our process for a telehealth script is:

1. You complete a secure, clinically designed questionnaire about your medication and health.
2. An Australian‑registered doctor reviews the information and often follows up with a short phone call—no video call needed.
3. If it’s safe and clinically appropriate, the doctor issues an eScript token by SMS.
4. You walk into (or call) any participating pharmacy in Australia, show the token, and collect your medicine.

We follow the Medical Board of Australia’s telehealth guidance, which makes it clear that issuing scripts purely from online questionnaires, without any real‑time contact, is not considered good practice—especially for new patients.

That’s why we always combine smart digital forms with a doctor who can actually talk to you.

For more detail on how this works in practice, our blog “Can You Get a Script Without a Video Call?” breaks it down step by step and explains which meds are typically suitable for telehealth renewal.

Scenario 2: Lost script or damaged prescription on the road

Maybe you had a paper prescription in your wallet to fill “sometime on the trip,” and it’s now:

• gone through the hotel laundry
• sitting on a café table 300 km away
• soaked after a beach mishap

If it was a paper script you hadn’t filled yet

Paper prescriptions are like cash—once they’re lost, they’re gone. There’s no central “script replacement” button.

Your options:

1. Contact the original prescriber
   • They may be able to re‑issue the script—often requiring at least a quick consult to confirm your current situation, particularly for higher‑risk medications.
   • They can convert it to an eScript, which you can then use at a local pharmacy.
2. Use a telehealth service for a new prescription
   • For suitable, lower‑risk medicines (e.g. stable blood pressure pills, asthma preventers, contraception, some sexual health meds), a telehealth script can be issued after assessment.
   • This is especially helpful if you’re interstate, in a rural town or travelling outside your usual GP’s hours.
3. Talk to a local pharmacist
   • In some circumstances, pharmacists can provide a small emergency supply of a regular medicine if they’re confident about what you take and that it’s safe to do so.
   • They may still suggest a doctor review—this is where a quick online prescription service can fill the gap.

If the lost script was for something new or complex (for example, a medicine you’ve never taken before), an in‑person consultation may be the safest option.

If it was an eScript token you deleted

This one is usually easy:

• For the original script, contact the prescriber and ask them to resend the token.
• For repeats, contact the pharmacy that dispensed it—pharmacies can issue a new token when they dispense the next repeat.

This is one of the big reasons we recommend using electronic prescriptions when you know you’ll be travelling.

Scenario 3: You’ve actually run out – do you need an emergency prescription?

Running out completely feels more stressful than a forgotten blister pack, but the right response depends on what you’re taking and how you’re feeling.

Red flags: go straight to urgent care

Regardless of where you are in Australia, do not rely on telehealth alone if you:

• have chest pain, severe shortness of breath, or signs of stroke (slurred speech, sudden weakness, facial droop)
• are having a severe asthma attack or can’t speak in full sentences
• are in diabetic crisis (very high/low sugars, confusion, vomiting)
• have severe withdrawal symptoms from stopping a regular medicine (for example, benzodiazepines or high‑dose opioids)
• are experiencing suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis

In these situations, call 000 or attend the nearest emergency department. Telehealth is an extra tool, not a substitute for emergency care.

For stable long‑term meds (blood pressure, asthma, thyroid, etc.)

If you feel well but realise you’ll miss several doses—say you’re on a two‑week work trip and have no tablets left:

1. Visit a local pharmacy first
   • They may be able to confirm your usual medicine and dose if you’ve used a major pharmacy chain before, or by checking your boxes / previous scripts if you still have them.
2. Arrange a telehealth consult for a repeat script
   • Our online prescription pathways are built exactly for this: stable, ongoing conditions where you simply need your usual medication continued safely.
   • After a short assessment, we can issue an eScript that any Australian pharmacy can dispense, turning a “missed week of meds” into a quick detour via the chemist.

We talk more about this type of use case in our Asthma Check‑Up via Telehealth and sinus/bronchitis articles, which show how online reviews and scripts work for common respiratory issues.

What an online prescription service can (and can’t) do for you

There’s a lot of confusion (and a lot of sketchy advertising) around online prescription Australia options. Understanding the limits helps you stay safe—especially when you’re away from home and feeling a bit desperate.

Typically suitable for a telehealth script

Legitimate Australian telehealth services commonly prescribe, after proper assessment:

• Repeat scripts for stable, long‑term conditions
  • blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid
  • asthma/COPD inhalers
  • type 2 diabetes medications (for stable patients)
• Contraception and sexual health
  • oral contraceptive pill
  • some erectile dysfunction treatments
  • certain STI treatments, where appropriate
• Allergies and hay fever
• Some mild skin conditions (acne, eczema)
• Some mental health medications for stable patients under ongoing review

This is the kind of territory our own instant scripts and prescription pathways focus on at NextClinic.

Usually not suitable for quick online scripts

Most reputable providers—including us—will not prescribe the following via a fast, questionnaire‑plus‑short‑call model:

• Schedule 8 (S8) and addictive medicines:
  • strong opioids
  • many stimulant medications (e.g. some ADHD drugs)
  • many benzodiazepines and sleeping tablets
• Many weight‑loss injectables
• Complex mental health or specialist medicines needing tight monitoring
• Some new high‑risk therapies or those requiring regular blood tests

For these, you usually need:

• A longer telehealth consultation or
• In‑person review with your regular GP or specialist

If a website promises any drug you like in minutes with “no questions asked,” that’s a massive red flag. Australian regulators and medical insurers have explicitly warned against prescribing based purely on online forms with no real‑time doctor‑patient interaction.

In short: a good online provider will sometimes say no or redirect you to in‑person care—and that’s a sign they’re taking your safety seriously, not a reason to shop around for someone more lax.

Step‑by‑step: getting a telehealth script anywhere in Australia

So you’re halfway between Dubbo and Broken Hill, at a conference in Perth, or heading up the coast—and you realise you need a script today. Here’s how the process usually works with us.

1. Check your situation
   • Are you otherwise well?
   • Is this a medicine you’ve taken before and tolerated well?
   • Are there any red‑flag symptoms (severe pain, breathing issues, mental health crisis)?
   • If yes to red flags, go straight to in‑person care.
2. Head to our telehealth or prescription page
   • From there, you can choose:
     • a dedicated prescription renewal pathway for simple repeats, or
     • a full telehealth consultation if your situation is more complex.
3. Complete the secure questionnaire
   • We’ll ask about:
     • the medicine you’re requesting
     • your medical history, allergies and current conditions
     • how long you’ve been on it and how you’ve been feeling
   • This helps the doctor quickly decide whether a telehealth script is appropriate.
4. Speak with the doctor (usually by phone)
   • In most cases—especially for new requests—our doctor will call you for a short telehealth consult (no video needed).
   • They may clarify details, check for interactions, or ask why you ran out early (important for safety).
5. If appropriate, receive your eScript token
   • When the doctor is satisfied it’s safe, they’ll issue an electronic prescription.
   • You’ll get an SMS or email with a token (a code/QR link) you can present at any pharmacy that supports eScripts—which is now most community pharmacies in Australia.
6. Collect your medicine locally
   • Visit a nearby chemist or call ahead and forward them your token so it’s ready when you arrive.
   • Some pharmacies and delivery services can bring it to your accommodation.
7. Plan ahead for the rest of your trip
   • If you only received enough to tide you over, use the breathing space to:
     • speak with your usual GP about longer‑term supply
     • ensure your repeats/eScripts are up to date before your next trip

The whole process is designed to take minutes on your phone, not hours in a waiting room—especially useful if you’re juggling travel schedules, work events or kids.

Special situations: controlled drugs, mental health meds and sexual health scripts

Controlled (Schedule 8) medicines

If you take opioids for chronic pain, stimulant medications, benzodiazepines, or medicinal cannabis, travelling takes extra planning:

• These medicines are more tightly regulated and may have state‑based rules, special authority requirements, and strict monitoring.
• The TGA and Office of Drug Control emphasise that travellers may bring no more than 3 months’ supply for personal use and must carry prescriptions or doctor’s letters.

For S8 medicines, do not rely on the idea that you can just grab an emergency telehealth script from an unfamiliar provider while you’re away. You’re far better off:

• arranging sufficient supply and documentation with your usual prescriber before you travel
• discussing what to do if medicines are lost or stolen (police report, emergency supply, etc.)
• carrying a clear doctor’s letter describing your diagnosis, dose, and need

We don’t prescribe Schedule 8 or other restricted drugs through our quick online pathways at NextClinic; for those, ongoing care with your regular GP or relevant specialist is essential.

Mental health medications

If you’re stable on antidepressants or certain anti‑anxiety medications, telehealth may be appropriate for routine repeats—as long as you’re being reviewed regularly and not in crisis.

But if you:

• have recently changed doses
• are experiencing worsening mood, new side‑effects, or suicidal thoughts
• have complex psychiatric medication regimens

…you should see your usual prescriber or a local GP/mental health service in person if possible. Telehealth can be a bridge, but it’s not the whole answer.

Sexual health and contraception while travelling

This is a big one for many of our readers.

Common scenarios:

• You forgot your oral contraceptive pill on a weekend away.
• You’re on a road trip and realise you’ve run out of ED medication you normally use.
• You’ve had unprotected sex and are worried about STIs or need emergency contraception.

Here’s where online prescription Australia services can be particularly helpful:

• Contraceptive pill repeats – often very suitable for telehealth script renewal if you’ve used the pill before without issues.
• ED treatments – some can be prescribed via telehealth assessment, assuming it’s medically safe in your case.
• STI treatment – if you’ve tested positive or been notified of exposure, a telehealth doctor can often manage treatment and follow‑up, including prescriptions and referrals for in‑person testing where needed.

NextClinic specifically lists sexual health, contraception and ED among the conditions we commonly help with via telehealth consults and scripts.

If there’s any chance of pregnancy and you’ve missed pills while away, don’t forget:

• Emergency contraception (the “morning after pill”) is available over the counter at pharmacies, sometimes alongside telehealth advice to help you choose the right option based on timing and your usual pill.

Going overseas? Extra rules for travelling with medication

While this article focuses on getting a script within Australia, many readers will also be heading overseas.

Australian government guidance is clear: if you’re travelling internationally with medicines, you must know both Australian rules and the rules of the country you’re entering.

Key points:

• Under the traveller’s exemption, you can usually take up to 3 months’ supply of many medicines for personal use when entering or leaving Australia, but you need prescriptions or a doctor’s letter and original packaging.
• Some medicines that are routine in Australia (including codeine, strong painkillers and certain stimulants) may be restricted or banned overseas. Always check the “Health” section of your destination on Smartraveller and, if needed, with that country’s embassy.
• PBS‑subsidised medicines are strictly for personal use; carrying them for someone else can attract serious penalties.

If you forget or lose medicines overseas:

• Australian eScripts are generally not valid to buy medicines overseas—you’ll often need to see a local doctor.
• A telehealth consult with an Australian doctor may still be helpful to:
  • clarify which medicine and dose you’re on
  • provide advice on managing missed doses
  • organise a replacement script ready for when you return to Australia

But for supply while overseas, local health systems and regulations apply.

When to skip telehealth and seek urgent in‑person care

To summarise, telehealth and online prescriptions are fantastic tools—especially for travellers—but they’re not right for everything.

Skip telehealth and seek immediate in‑person care (GP, urgent care, or ED) if:

• You have chest pain, severe breathlessness, or stroke‑like symptoms
• You’re having a severe asthma attack or can’t speak comfortably
• You’re vomiting repeatedly, severely dehydrated, or very confused
• You suspect a serious allergic reaction (swelling, difficulty breathing, widespread rash)
• You’re in acute mental health crisis or at risk of self‑harm
• Your regular controlled medicine (like high‑dose opioids or benzodiazepines) has run out and you’re starting to feel unwell or in withdrawal

In these situations, a script is only part of the picture—you need physical assessment, monitoring and possibly urgent treatment.

Bring it all together: travel with confidence, not chaos

Let’s recap the key takeaways:

• Forgetting your meds on a trip is incredibly common—millions of Australians are on prescriptions and we take over a hundred million domestic overnight trips a year.
• A little prep goes a long way: extra supply, original packaging, carry‑on only, and eScripts/Active Script List can prevent most crises.
• If you forget or lose medicines within Australia, you usually have three options:
  1. Contact your usual GP or pharmacy
  2. Talk to a local pharmacist (for advice or emergency supply)
  3. Use a reputable online prescription Australia service for a telehealth script, where clinically appropriate
• Safe telehealth scripts are great for stable, non‑high‑risk medicines—like blood pressure tablets, asthma inhalers, contraception and many sexual health treatments—but not for Schedule 8, complex or emergency situations.
• If you’re going overseas, Australian rules plus the destination’s rules both matter; 3‑month limits, original packaging and valid prescriptions are key.

At NextClinic, our goal is to make those “oh no, I forgot my meds” moments less scary and more solvable. With our combination of smart online questionnaires, real‑time doctor consultations and fast eScripts, we can often help you get back on track in minutes—whether you’re in a CBD hotel, a coastal caravan park, or visiting family in the country.

Your challenge for this week

Before your next trip—whether it’s a weekend at the coast or a big interstate adventure—pick one of these actions and actually do it:

• Set up eScripts (and maybe an Active Script List) for your main medications
• Create a simple travel meds checklist and save it in your phone notes
• Talk to your GP or pharmacist about a “what if I forget?” plan for your most important medicine
• Save a trusted telehealth script provider like NextClinic in your contacts so you’re not Googling in a panic later

Then, come back and let us know in the comments: Which strategy did you choose, and how did it change the way you feel about travelling with medication?

References

• Medicines in the health system - Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
• Domestic tourism results | Tourism Research Australia
• Travel health advice | healthdirect
• Travelling to or from Australia with medicines and medical devices | Office of Drug Control (ODC)
• Travelling with medicines and medical devices | Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
• What you can and can’t bring
• Electronic prescriptions | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
• Electronic Prescriptions
• Autumn Holiday Health Tips for Aussie Families | NextClinic
• Online Doctors: Telehealth Consultations at NextClinic
• Key Takeaways on Updated Guidelines to Telehealt | MIPS
• Can You Get a Script Without a Video Call? | NextClinic
• Asthma Check-Up via Telehealth | NextClinic
• NextClinic: Online Medical Certificates, Instant Scripts and Telehealth Consults
• Electronic prescribing for prescribers

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