Travelling with Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro

Storage temperatures — what the leaflet says

Storage according to the EMA product information: all GLP-1 pens (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Saxenda) must be kept in the fridge at 2-8°C until first use. After the first injection or after being taken out of the fridge, the pen may be kept at room temperature (up to 30°C) for a certain period.

Ozempic: a maximum of 6 weeks (42 days) at room temperature after opening, or 28 days after being taken out of the fridge (without opening). Wegovy: a maximum of 28 days at no more than 30°C. Mounjaro: a maximum of 21 days at room temperature after being taken out of the fridge — stricter than Ozempic. Saxenda: a maximum of 30 days after opening.

Avoid direct sunlight and temperatures above 30°C — above that limit the peptide molecule degrades and loses its effect. Freezing (below 0°C) renders the medicine permanently unusable through denaturation of the protein. If in doubt: throw the pen away and collect a new one.

Keeping it cool by car, train or bus

For journeys of up to 8 hours: an insulated medication cooling bag with 2 cooling elements is sufficient. Wrap the pen in a soft cloth so that it does not come into direct contact with the frozen cooling element (which could cause freezing). Good brands are the Frio Insulin Cooling Wallet, MediCool and the OXO Insulated Wallet.

For journeys of 8-24 hours: use a small electric 12V fridge that can be plugged into the car socket. For longer car journeys with several medications, this is the most reliable solution. Avoid: medication loose in the glove box or behind the sun visor — a car can exceed 50°C within 30 minutes.

On the train or bus: the same cooling-bag approach. For longer international train journeys (>12 hours), plan a stopover at a hotel with a minibar so you can re-freeze the cooling element. Some left-luggage desks at major stations offer refrigerated lockers — if in doubt, ask at the information desk.

Flying — hand luggage, customs, security

Most important rule: GLP-1 medication ALWAYS in hand luggage. Checked baggage has an unpredictable temperature (can drop below -20°C at high altitude) and can get lost. Lost checked baggage with medication = practically unusable.

At security: the 100 ml rule for liquids does not apply to prescribed medication. Carry the pens in a separate transparent bag, together with a doctor's letter (see below). If in doubt, proactively ask a staff member to check them — quicker than a random check.

During the flight: keep the cooling bag under the seat in front of you, not in the overhead locker (too warm on long flights due to air circulation). On flights of more than 8 hours, a flight attendant can sometimes help by temporarily putting your cooling elements in the on-board fridge — ask early in the flight.

Time zones and the weekly schedule

For weekly injections (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro), a few hours' time difference is irrelevant. For convenience, keep your fixed Dutch day during the trip. For example: if you normally inject on Saturday morning at 08:00 Dutch time, in New York you simply inject on Saturday morning at 02:00 local time or a few hours later. It is a flexible schedule.

With time differences of more than 6 hours and a trip longer than 4 weeks, it can be more practical to switch gradually to the local rhythm. Shift by 4-6 hours per week until you are on local time. This avoids having to inject in the middle of the Dutch night.

Daily injections (Saxenda) and oral GLP-1 (Rybelsus): keep a fixed time in the local rhythm as soon as you have landed. With Rybelsus, the 'on an empty stomach straight after getting up' protocol is crucial — adapt it to the local morning routine.

What to do if the cooling fails

First check: how long has the pen been outside the temperature range? A few hours above 30°C is usually still acceptable for an unopened pen, especially if the room temperature did not exceed 32-35°C. If more than 12 hours or at temperatures above 35°C: throw the pen away and collect a new one.

Freezing is always a reason to throw the pen away. Ice crystals permanently damage the peptide structure, even if the pen looks normal after thawing. Check the solution: any cloudiness, flakes or change in colour = throw away.

If in doubt whether the pen still works: contact your treating doctor or the pharmacy's emergency number. A missed week is a nuisance but not a disaster — the effect of GLP-1 remains stable for 4-6 weeks after the last dose. During a dose step (titration phase), a missed week can lead to more side effects when you resume. In that case consult your doctor about possibly resuming on a lower dose.

Doctor's letter and what to document

For every trip we advise requesting an English-language medical certificate (medical attestation) from your doctor. The certificate contains: your name and date of birth, the name of the substance (semaglutide or tirzepatide), the brand name (Ozempic/Wegovy/Mounjaro), dose and frequency, the need for injection needles, and the name, BIG registration number and signature of the prescribing doctor.

At Go Leaner you can request this certificate free of charge via your patient portal or with a short email to your doctor. As standard we produce a reusable certificate that is valid for the current treatment plan (usually 6-12 months).

Keep the certificate physically in your medication bag and digitally on your phone. If desired, print an extra copy for your partner or travelling companion as a back-up.

Countries with additional import rules

For most destinations, an English-language doctor's letter is sufficient. But some countries apply strict import rules for injectable medication and/or GLP-1 specifically.

Singapore: requires prior notification via the Health Sciences Authority for medication that is prescription-only in Singapore itself. This applies to GLP-1. The application takes ~10 working days.

Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar: GLP-1 is allowed in hand luggage but often requires prior approval. Check via the embassy website. Some countries apply a maximum of a 3-month supply.

Japan: relatively relaxed for a 1-month supply in original packaging. Above 1 month, a 'Yakkan Shoumei' import certificate is required (apply online, 10 working days).

United States: no additional formal requirements, but it is strongly recommended to have the doctor's letter to hand at CBP inspection. Some travellers report questions at security about the needles.

Checklist before you leave

With this checklist and the guidance in this article, you can make almost any trip worry-free without interrupting your GLP-1 programme. If in doubt: contact your treating doctor at Go Leaner — we are happy to help with specific travel planning.

• Request your doctor's letter (medical attestation) well in advance
• Order an insulated medication cooling bag with 2 cooling elements
• Calculate how many pens you need — take 1 extra as a back-up
• Pack all injections in hand luggage, never in checked baggage
• Check the import rules of your destination (brief overview above)
• Save the pharmacy's emergency number in your phone
• Print your treatment plan and keep it alongside the certificate
• Dose step just before your trip: discuss with your doctor whether you can wait