Travel Clinic Paraphernalia

Douglas Pharmacy which uses Travel Clinic PGDs has extremely limited space for OTC and P products however, we do stock a wide range of travel paraphernalia  The most essential of which are:

• Small first aid kits - buying empty ones and then filling them with bespoke products is a good idea. I like to add drowsy anti histamines (such a chlorpheniramine) - as this can double as a mild sedative and reduce allergic reactions to stings, effervescent co-codamol - two tablets contain the equivalent of 2g of salt which can be useful for diarrhoea episodes, it is also a good pain killer, mild sedative and can reduce bouts of diarrhoea.
• DEET mosquito repellent - anything above 30% is considered an excellent repellent. Young children <6 yo should not really use DEET so alternatives are handy such as citronella (however they are yet to be proven clinically).
• Sun tan lotion - for some reason this always goes out of stock at wholesalers at peak season, it is always good to have a healthy stock of high factor sun cream usually 30+ SPF should suffice.
• Mosquito nets - for those intrepid trekkers going to areas with lots of fresh water this is a must. The most effective type of mosquito nets are those which are impregnated with permethrin.
• Water purification apparatus - nowadays this comes in various different forms. The cheapest way to purify water is with chlorine tablets or iodine, however this often tastes unpalatable. Purification straws can now be obtained which contain a micro-filtration system which can filter any nasties from the water.