Blood pressure tablets-security issue

[adambsmith]

Speaking to my parents tonight who flew to the US from the UK on Tuesday.

Apparently security at MAN had an issue with my Dad's Warfarin tablets that he takes to control his blood pressure. Mum had volunteered that she was carrying them when asked if she was carrying anything for anyone else (she had Dad's tablets in her handbag).

The security person said the pills were a danger as Warfarin was essentially rat poison and Mum and Dad could cause harm to passengers and crew - there were 15 tablets in the pack - not sure how she was going to slip them in everyone's coffee/tea. :rolleyes:

Mum pointed out that Dad needed his tablets but would happily put them in the hold if required. However, she was fearful that cases do indeed get lost and they didn't really need the hassle of getting replacement Warfarin in the US. Dad has already had two mini strokes and needs his tablets.

All sorted once the supervisor at security got involved but FFS what a ridiculous position to take by security initially :ugh:

[ExXB]

From Wiki:

To this day, the so-called "coumarins" (4-hydroxycoumarin derivatives) are used as rodenticides for controlling rats and mice in residential, industrial, and agricultural areas. Warfarin is both odorless and tasteless, and is effective when mixed with food bait, because the rodents will return to the bait and continue to feed over a period of days until a lethal dose is accumulated (considered to be 1 mg/kg/day over about six days).

Doesn't sound like it would be a danger to the crew or other passengers, even if you could convince them to ingest them over a weeks time.

[radeng]

1mg/kilo/day for 6 days. So for a nominal 80 kilo person, you would need 20blue 3mg tablets and 20 brown 1mg tablets fed to them every day for 6 days.......

A little learning is a dangerous thing....

I wonder what they would say about Digoxin, or insulin for that matter?

[Torque Tonight]

Some of the intellectual heavyweights at security tend to invent rules and procedures on the spot. I'm not sure how confiscating medication is supposed to improve security.

[ExXB]

From the MAN web-site (http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/manweb.nsf/Content/SecurityProcedure):

Medicines and Baby Foods
Passengers will also be allowed to carry in their hand luggage medicines and dietary requirements including baby foods, for use during the flight. This includes sterilised water (this must be in a baby bottle).

A passenger may take prescription medication in containers over 100ml through security, provided that they have a prescription or doctors note for the medication. The passenger may only carry through security the quantity of liquid medication that is required for their journey.

These appear to be the rules for liquid medications, not in tablet form. Although I believe the requirement "for use during the flight" is incorrect. EC regulations say for the duration of the journey (which makes much more sense - you're not going to put most of your medicine in the hold if you're off on a month's cruise).

[peakcrew]

The medication that can cause most fun(!) at airports is glyceryl trinatrate (GTN), a common substance used for the treatment of angina. The molecule is also known as nitro-glycerine, and is quite persistent after use. I have a couple of nursing and paramedic friends who have both had several positive hits by explosives detectors (four-legged and metal) over the years because they have given out GTN within 24 hours of flying. There is a quite amusing account from a paramedic in the USA at dochazmat: Waterfront property at low tide (http://dochazmat.livejournal.com/31044.html) if anyone is interested.

[coldair]

Link not working for me Peakcrew.

It sounds like an interesting read as well :(

[radeng]

At LHR T1 one day when it was quiet, I asked a security guy about nitroglycerine tablets. He said they'd never had a problem, as they hadn't found any!

Obviously something waiting to happen..