All import of medicinal products for personal use is in accordance with regulation no. 1277/2022 and, when applicable, regulation no. 233/2001 on habit-forming and narcotic drugs and other controlled substances.
Import of medicinal products by individuals
Individuals may import medicinal products for personal use in their luggage and by mail from states within the European Economic Area (EEA) with certain restrictions.
Individuals may be in possession of medicinal products, that are not classified as narcotics or controlled substances, for personal use in quantities corresponding to one year‘s use according to instructions for use from a physician or marketing authorization holder/manufacturer of the product. If the individual is arriving from a state outside the EEA, the permitted amount is restricted to a dose that amounts to 100 days use.
In cases involving medicinal products containing substances included in sections S1 (anabolic agents) and S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances and mimetics) of the Prohibited List of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), individuals shall only be permitted to import into Iceland for their own use quantities corresponding to 30 days’ use according the instructions for use from a physician or the marketing authorization holder/manufacturer of the product.
Habit-forming and narcotic drugs
Individuals may bring into Iceland medicinal products for their own use which contain, in part, substances that are listed in Appendix 1 to Regulation No. 233/2001, on habit-forming and narcotic drugs and other controlled substances, with the following restrictions:
For individuals that have a registered domicile in Iceland the following applies;
- If the medicinal products were originally obtained in Iceland, the individual may be in possession of habit-forming and narcotic drugs in quantities corresponding to a 30 days‘ dose.
- If the medicinal products were originally obtained abroad, the individual may be in possession of habit-forming and narcotic drugs in quantities corresponding to a 7 days‘ dose.
- If the medicinal products were originally obtained abroad and the person concerned is in possession, on arrival in Iceland, of a declaration from a physician with a valid medical license to practice in Iceland stating that the medicinal products are necessary for the person concerned for a medical purpose, they may be in possession of habit-forming and narcotic drugs in quantities corresponding to a 30 days‘ dose.
For individuals that do not have a registered domicile in Iceland the following applies;
- Individuals that do not have a registered domicile in Iceland may be in possession of habit-forming and narcotic drugs in quantities corresponding to a 30 days‘ dose, according to the defined daily dose.
Individuals travelling between the jurisdictions of signatories of the Schengen Agreement, or within their jurisdictions, may be in possession of habit-forming and narcotic medicinal products in quantities necessary for their medical treatment, providing that they present a certificate issued by a competent authority in their country of residence (cf. Article 75 of the Schengen Agreement). Such certificates are valid for a maximum of 30 days from the date of issue.
The defined daily dose is the average daily treatment dose of a specific medicinal product used for its most common indications in adults. The average daily treatment dose is stated in the marketing license for the medicinal product or is in accordance with information published by the World Health Organization.
Import by post or goods consignments
Individuals may import into Iceland, by post or goods consignments, from EEA states medicinal products for their own use in quantities corresponding to 100 days’ use in accordance with the instructions for use from a physician or the marketing license holder/ manufacturer of the product.
Import of medicinal products by post or goods consignments from states outside the EEA is prohibited.
Import of habit-forming and narcotic drugs by post or goods consignments is prohibited.
Import of medicinal products containing substances included in sections S1 (anabolic agents) and S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances and mimetics) of the Prohibited List of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) by post or goods consignments is prohibited.
Documents to present upon arrival to Iceland
On arrival to Iceland, individuals shall present to the customs authorities one of the following to provide satisfactory proof that the medicinal product has been lawfully obtained;
- A medical certificate
- A prescription together with instructions for use
- An instruction label providing satisfactory proof that a prescription medicinal product has been obtained in a lawful manner and that the product is necessary for the bearer in the quantity stated
The fore mentioned applies solely to prescription medicinal products.
Exemptions
The Icelandic Medicines Agency may grant exemptions from these provisions when it is demonstrated that restrictions on the importation of medicinal products for personal use may jeopardise the health or life of an individual. In the case of habit-forming and narcotic drugs, an exemption decided by the Icelandic Medicines Agency shall have been issued before the individual arrives in Iceland.