Registration Opening Autumn 2021

Carrying your factor to Canada

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Medical Treatment When Visiting Canada

The following information is provided to assist your planning for your trip to Canada:

  • Free medical treatment is generally not available to foreign visitors to Canada.
  • It is recommended that you purchase personal travel insurance for your visit to Canada to cover emergency medical treatment and health care in the case of any other illness or accident that might occur, even if you cannot be insured for your pre-existing medical condition/s.
  • In general, you should bring enough clotting factor treatment with you for your stay.
  • If you are travelling to different parts of Canada before or after the WFH 2022 World Congress, note that clotting factor product for an emergency in Canada may be limited to larger hospitals. The Canadian Hemophilia Society website provides a list of the 26 haemophiliac treatment centres in Canada: https://www.hemophilia.ca/treatment-centres-by-province/
  • As at previous WFH World Congresses a treatment room, stocked with donated clotting factor, will be set on Level 5, meeting room 516AB at the Montreal Convention Centre Palais des Congrès during the WFH 2022 World Congress and some health professionals will be available to help you if you need treatment for your bleeding disorder.

Bringing Your Clotting Factor And Other Medicines To Canada

You may bring a supply of prescribed medications into Canada for your personal use without a permit, provided they are commercially prepared and manufactured. This includes your regular prescribed medicines and clotting factor products. You will need a travel letter, in English, signed by your physician in order to carry the product on the plane and enter Canada.

Helpful hints for all medicines and clotting factor products:

  • Keep the medicine in its original packaging with the product labelling visible.
  • Make sure you bring a letter written in English, from your doctor explaining that you require these medicines and/or clotting factor concentrates for your medical condition and that you have been prescribed less than three-month supply to bring to Canada with you.
  • Your doctor’s letter should indicate if you need to carry needles or syringes in addition to administration devices supplied by the manufacturer.
  • Declare your medicines to Canadian Customs and provide the letter from your doctor when entering Canada.
  • It is advised that you carry your medicines in your carry-on baggage, not in checked baggage.
  • It is your responsibility to store your medicines and clotting factor in packaging that meets manufacturers’ advice for temperature control and to check with your airline that your cold store packaging meets security requirements.