Can I Bring Insulin to China? 2026 Customs Rules & Legality
Direct Answer: YES. Insulin (Insulin Glargine / Lispro / Aspart / Degludec) is permitted for personal traveler maintenance (typically up to 90 days). Keep in original packaging and walk through the Green Channel.
Green Channel (No Declaration Needed)
90 Days Legal Limit
Injectables like Ozempic require a doctor's certificate for carrying needles through CAAC airport security.
Routine chronic medications are inexpensive and readily stocked across accredited Chinese Tier-3 hospitals.
Works 100% offline: Show to a Chinese pharmacist, or copy the Chinese characters into Alipay/WeChat Meituan for 25-min hotel delivery
CHINESE MEDICINE NAME · 中文通用名与药店名
胰岛素注射笔与针头（来得时 / 诺和锐 / 优泌乐 — U-100规格）
Pinyin: Yí dǎo sù zhù shè bǐ (Lái dé shí / Nuò hé ruì)
Insulin / Lantus / Humalog
Insulin Glargine / Lispro / Aspart / Degludec
医生/药师您好：我是糖尿病患者，随身胰岛素损坏或即将用尽。我需要补充 U-100（100单位/毫升）规格的胰岛素笔（如来得时/诺和锐/优泌乐）及配套 BD 4mm 笔用针头，随附我的英文处方。
I am a diabetic traveler and need replacement U-100 insulin pens (Lantus / 来得时, NovoRapid / 诺和锐, or Humalog / 优泌乐) and 4mm BD pen needles. Cold chain required.
Traveling with more than one medication?
Add Insulin to your Travel Bag to audit combined ingredient limits (Pseudoephedrine / Acetaminophen) and CAAC airline rules.
Trip Allowance Simulator (Insulin)
Test your planned stay duration against China Customs statutory limits in real-time.
Your planned 90-day supply (90 tablets) is fully within the statutory 90-day allowance limit for Insulin.
What is Insulin Called in Chinese? (Chinese Name, Pinyin & Hospital Guide)
Insulin (Insulin Glargine / Lispro / Aspart / Degludec) is officially known in Chinese as "胰岛素注射笔与针头（来得时 / 诺和锐 / 优泌乐）" (Pinyin pronunciation: Yí dǎo sù zhù shè bǐ (Lái dé shí / Nuò hé ruì)). International brand names covered under this rule include: Insulin, Lantus, Humalog, NovoRapid, Tresiba, Levemir, Apidra. If you are in China and need to communicate with a hospital doctor, triage nurse, or retail pharmacist (or search on the Meituan Pharmacy delivery mini-program inside Alipay/WeChat), use the full-screen Chinese show card above.
3-Way Checkpoint Guide: Customs (GACC) vs Flight Security (CAAC) vs High-Speed Rail
Green Channel permitted for personal travel supply (up to 90 days). Keep pens, cartridges, and needles in original labeled boxes inside your carry-on cabin bag with your physician's prescription.
Must be carried in cabin baggage with a doctor's certificate to authorize pen needles, lancets, and medical ice packs through CAAC security.
China High-Speed Rail (CRH/G-Trains) security scanners focus on knives, aerosols (>150ml), and power banks (>100Wh). Personal prescription pill bottles, EpiPens, and insulin cooling pouches pass through railway security without restriction.
Travelers frequently confuse China's three security agencies: 1) GACC Airport Customs checks drug ingredient legality upon international arrival; 2) CAAC Domestic Flight Security strictly enforces rules on gel ice packs (>100ml) and hypodermic needles (requiring a hospital letter); 3) China High-Speed Train Security does NOT scrutinize personal pill boxes or medical ice packs.
In-China Local Refill Protocol & Approved Alternatives
Major international insulins—Lantus (来得时), NovoRapid (诺和锐), Tresiba (诺和达), and Humalog (优泌乐)—are stocked at all Chinese Tier-3 hospitals and expat clinics. NOTE: China uses U-100 (100 IU/mL) as the universal standard.
Before-Packing Traveler Checklist (Packaging & Documents)
- Keep medication in original dispensing pharmacy packaging with clear prescription label.
- Carry original physical doctor prescription certificate matching the traveler's passport name 100%.
- Never combine loose tablets in unmarked plastic pill organizers or zip-lock bags.
- Pack all insulin pens, vials, and pen needles strictly in your carry-on cabin bag—never in checked luggage.
- Carry a printed doctor's letter stating your diabetes diagnosis and medical necessity for syringes/needles, insulin pumps, CGMs, and cooling gel packs (>100ml).
- Verify insulin concentration: Chinese hospitals and pharmacies dispense U-100 (100 units/mL) cartridges and pens.
Statutory Legal Basis & Consular Advisories
Official Advisory: CRITICAL CAAC SECURITY RULE: Never pack insulin in checked luggage (cargo holds freeze below 0°C and destroy insulin potency). Carry all pens, pen needles, lancets, and frozen cooling packs in cabin baggage alongside a stamped doctor certificate.
Frequently Asked Questions About Insulin in China
What is Insulin called in Chinese and can I buy it in China?
Insulin (Insulin Glargine / Lispro / Aspart / Degludec) is officially known in Chinese as 胰岛素注射笔与针头（来得时 / 诺和锐 / 优泌乐） (Pinyin: Yí dǎo sù zhù shè bǐ (Lái dé shí / Nuò hé ruì)). Major international insulins—Lantus (来得时), NovoRapid (诺和锐), Tresiba (诺和达), and Humalog (优泌乐)—are stocked at all Chinese Tier-3 hospitals and expat clinics. NOTE: China uses U-100 (100 IU/mL) as the universal standard.
Does China's rule on Insulin apply during a 24h/240h airport layover (PVG/PEK/CAN)?
Travelers frequently confuse China's three security agencies: 1) GACC Airport Customs checks drug ingredient legality upon international arrival; 2) CAAC Domestic Flight Security strictly enforces rules on gel ice packs (>100ml) and hypodermic needles (requiring a hospital letter); 3) China High-Speed Train Security does NOT scrutinize personal pill boxes or medical ice packs.
Can I bring insulin pens and syringe needles in my carry-on bag to China?
Yes. Both China Customs and CAAC airport security permit diabetic passengers to carry insulin pens, syringes, pen needles, lancets, and cooling gel packs in cabin luggage, provided you present an official physician's prescription or medical certificate matching your passport.
Can I wear an insulin pump or Continuous Glucose Monitor (Dexcom / FreeStyle Libre) through Chinese airport security?
Yes. Inform the CAAC security officer before walking through the scanner that you are wearing an attached medical device and request a manual pat-down inspection instead of millimeter-wave or X-ray exposure on the spare sensors.
Related Medications & Customs Precedents
China Customs regulates pharmaceuticals by chemical classification and therapeutic scheduling. Compare legal limits, customs channels, and Chinese pharmacy equivalents for related traveler medications:
Need a Prescription Refill in China?
Accredited international hospitals in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou & Shenzhen offer English-speaking specialists and legally approved medication refills.
- Original passport with valid Chinese entry visa/stamp
- Detailed foreign medical summary / psychiatric diagnosis report
- Recent prescription copy with dosage and duration history
- Original medication container or retail packaging box
United Family Healthcare (和睦家医疗)
English-speaking psychiatrists, pediatrics, full pharmacy, emergency ER
Jiahui Health (嘉会医疗)
Affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital; multidisciplinary psychiatric outpatient
Parkway Health (百汇医疗)
Singapore-managed healthcare group; expat internal medicine and neurology
Grade 3A Public Hospitals (三甲医院特需/国际部)
Top-tier academic medical centers with international patient wings