In Reply

We thank Küpper for providing additional information regarding our review article (1). The article should, however, not be misunderstood as an attempt at a comprehensive explanation of travel medicine—this is impossible—but as a clear entry point and thread for the consultation situation. It was particularly intended for those doctors who do not provide travel consultations on a daily basis or who want to gain an initial overview of the discipline. Professional travel consultations require profound knowledge, which can be gained only from continuing/subsequent technical literature (for example [2–4), advanced training courses, and practice experience.

Travel consultations are indeed much broader ranging than mere vaccinations and malaria prophylaxis—often it is not classic tropical diseases that are most relevant but crashes/accidents and cardiovascular disorders. With regard to these we would like to remind readers of attachments and internet links in our article—for example, the continually updated overview of travel medical information sources (www.uniklinikum-leipzig.de/einrichtungen/medizinische-klinik-2/infektions-und-tropenmedizin). We will happily add the suggested website of the UIAA MedCom (altitude sickness) to our list of information resources.

The travel pharmacy table provides only a selection of utensils and medications, which always have to be adapted to the individual case (for example, nitroglycerine capsules only for persons traveling in moderate climates). If medications and medical utensils are taken along on a journey, then it is recommended to obtain a multilingual certificate from the doctor (1). When traveling in the Schengen area for up to 30 days, prescribed narcotics (for example, tramadol) can be taken in the appropriate amounts, as long as the traveler is in possession of a medical certificate that has been witnessed by the health authorities according to Article 75 of the Schengen agreement. Forms are available from the website of the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (www.bfarm.de). If in doubt, travelers should seek detailed information regarding import conditions from the embassies of the respective countries.