Australian laws regarding personal importation of prescription-only drugs

[Greg]

I don't mean to alarm anyone, but this question has been asked once or twice before on this forum. The following paragraph is from Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration website regarding the personal importation of prescription-only medicines, which of course includes baclofen (listed as schedule S4, therefore a prescription-only medication):

To purchase or import prescription medicine in Australia, you must have a valid Australian-issued prescription. Prescriptions obtained following an 'online consultation', or questionnaire, are not acceptable. Sites that offer online prescriptions, or that will sell prescription medicines to you without any prescription, are not legitimate and should be avoided.

Buying medicines and medical devices over the Internet

Whether or not customs officials intercept a package may be a matter of luck, but when I recently imported 3 bottles of liquid baclofen from Virtuous Labs, my package had a label across the outside saying "Opened by Australia Post for inspection by Customs". Inside was a leaflet saying more or less the same thing, including "Customs and Border Protection found nothing of concern in your parcel or letter and did not remove any items".

I'm now unsure of where I stand regarding this issue. Had I read the paragraph on the above-mentioned website, I probably would not have tried to import the baclofen at all, yet having it passed as being ok by customs seems to contradict that. All I can say is that there seems to be a grey area of law regarding all of this.

If anyone else can shed light on this I'd be interested in hearing your opinion.

(Note: The Virtuous Labs baclofen is labelled as being for research purposes only and not for human use, so that could have been why the package was allowed through. Not sure what they would have done if it had been a package of baclofen tablets that were obviously made for human consumption).

[rubywillow]

Australian laws regarding personal importation of prescription-only drugs

Greg, I really don't know Aussie law re:this issue, but in US I know you can get flagged by inspectors who take notice of this stuff, and it's not where I want to be. I've also been very concerned with peeps sharing their meds through the mail, since I know sharing PERIOD is illegal here, and in the mail makes it a federal crime. Yes, I've thrown out perfectly good stuff I can't use, but rather that than answer to the men in black (suits and sunglasses). Prescription drug trade is a big issue now, and I also don't want my prescribing doc involved, since it will complicate my possible needs in the future, and really tick them off. Please, all, be careful. Everything has side effects, and everything we put in our body needs to be just for us. Just my opinion, of course.

[Greg]

Australian laws regarding personal importation of prescription-only drugs

So far nobody on the forum has reported serious legal consequences for importing baclofen (as far as I know), so I'd assume most authorities only get serious when it comes to anyone trying to import controlled substances like benzodiazepines, opiates, stimulants, etc. Our laws make it illegal to sell or give prescription drugs to other people, which would be similar to US laws by the sound of it.

One of my main concerns is making sure I have enough baclofen in reserve, in case my supply is ever abruptly cut off once I'm taking high daily doses. One member of the forum ended up receiving very inadequate hospital care from memory during an episode of severe baclofen withdrawal, and most hospitals in my area would probably have far less experience with baclofen withdrawal than with things like acute alcohol withdrawal. Benzodiazepines like Valium have been reported as having limited effectiveness in baclofen withdrawal too.

Here's hoping a few more doctors like Dr Levin will begin prescribing high-dose baclofen, for those of us who are not in North America and therefore unable to consult with him.

[Greg]

Australian laws regarding personal importation of prescription-only drugs

Thanks Reg for the reassurance and advice. I have ordered other medicines online before, but this was the first time anything had been opened and a customs leaflet wrapped up inside. I guess I was a bit unnerved. Yes I imagine they have harder drugs and other more worrying issues to be concerned with.

I also tried various doctors, but the very high dosages of baclofen used for HDB treatment is what turns them off trying it. I can understand why they react like this, even though it annoys me. I'm sure more of them would give it a go if the doses were within normal daily guidelines, or if the guidelines themselves were revised. Two of them did indeed prescribe me the drug at normal doses.

Yes I have no moral concerns about what I am doing, as I know it is for a deadly addiction. Thanks for the offer if I happen to get low; PM me too if required.

Interesting clinic in W.A. too, I'd give it a go if I was living over that way.

[swaggie]

Australian laws regarding personal importation of prescription-only drugs

An interesting question that an Aussie Lawyer ought to research before sending an order to River Pharmacy last night for Naltrexone. But I did it anyway, but I might do it in preparation of being called before the judge (While ignorance of the law is no excuse most people get some slack cut if they get caught out - unfortunately Judges tend to expect lawyers to know ALL of the law so they tend to make us examples)

Not that I think I'll have any troubles - our public servants just arn't that good at this stuff and they arn't really looking for opoid antagonists.

I tried a bulk billing clinic today and was told to use willpower to overcome my 22dayAF cravings - something that Nal is legal to prescribe in Australia - I want to pursue the sinclair method together with hypnosis support next year to reintroduce sociable drinking.

swaggie

[Greg]

Australian laws regarding personal importation of prescription-only drugs

Now that I've calmed down from my own importing scare, I can say that I doubt you would actually be called before a judge for ordering naltrexone. At worst, customs would probably send you a letter saying they have detained it or something. If you did ever have to explain why you ordered naltrexone online, I'd just tell authorities the honest truth really, namely that you're trying to help yourself with an alcohol dependence problem by taking a non-addictive medicine.

Authorities also focus more on the types of drugs that are frequently sold on the street, rather than drugs like naltrexone, as Reggie reminded me above. Naltrexone is almost never wanted by street drug users, so it would have almost no street value and would not be something that criminals would import.

Also if you have any more trouble, maybe see if you can find another doctor to ask about naltrexone. It is approved for use as a treatment for alcohol dependence in Australia, at a dose of 50 mg per day. They are supposed to prescribe it as part of a "comprehensive treatment program" but I have found a few over the years who were willing to offer it to me, as long as I told them I was dependent on alcohol and wanted something to help me quit. The only hurdle could be that a doctor may ask you to detox from alcohol first.

[DougVL]

Australian laws regarding personal importation of prescription-only drugs

Greg, I agree that its a good source for those in Austrlai where docs woont prescribe the high enough dose. Had to shorten my post

[Greg]

Australian laws regarding personal importation of prescription-only drugs

Hi Doug,

There wasn't really an issue with customs, just my own reaction to them labeling my package and putting their leaflet inside it. It was a good reminder that they are doing their job, without seizing things that are not a problem to society. Baclofen would have no street value and no criminal market, as street drug users don't want it beyond the odd experiment or two from what I have heard.

Virtuous Labs are a great source of this medicine for people who are unable to get it from a doctor. If doctors were able to prescribe it at the doses needed to treat alcohol dependence, then this whole issue would not exist. Unfortunately, as long as baclofen remains officially prescribed only up to 75 or 100 mg per day in nearly all countries, doctors are very unlikely to go higher than this, if they even try it at all.

Thanks for your message, there was no need to talk to the company as it was not their fault, but I won't say no if they ship me that extra order. I'd happily order from them again at any time in the future, and it is probably more likely that customs would inspect a package of tablets rather than one of liquid baclofen. I'd say it was just the luck of the draw that my package was inspected.