Medicines for Flying, Dental and Hospital Procedures
Our GPs do not prescribe sedatives, such as diazepam, to help with fear of flying, dental treatment, or hospital scans and procedures. We also cannot give NHS prescriptions for medicines you might need while travelling but do not need now.
We know these situations can feel worrying. This page explains briefly why we do not prescribe these medicines, and who can help you instead.
On this page:
Fear of Flying
We do not prescribe diazepam or similar sedatives (benzodiazepines) for fear of flying. Fear of flying is very real and can be frightening, but these medicines are not a safe or effective way to manage it.
Why We Do Not Prescribe Sedatives for Flying
- They make you drowsy and slow your reactions. In the rare event of an emergency, this could make it harder for you to follow instructions and leave the aircraft quickly.
- Sedated sleep means you move around less, which increases your risk of a blood clot in the leg or lungs (deep vein thrombosis, or DVT), especially on flights longer than four hours.
- A small number of people become agitated or aggressive, or behave in ways they normally would not, which could put them and other passengers at risk.
- Prescribing guidance (the British National Formulary) advises against benzodiazepines for phobias and for short-term mild anxiety.
- They do not treat the fear itself, and they may make it harder to overcome in the long run.
- Diazepam is a controlled drug. It is illegal or restricted in some countries, and it can stay in your system long enough to affect a drug test or your driving after the flight.
Medicines for fear of flying are not part of the NHS services that GPs provide. If you still wish to consider medication, you can speak to a private GP or travel clinic.
What Can Help
- Fear of flying courses are a better option. Several airlines and some airports run them.
- Talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), can treat phobias. You can refer yourself without seeing a GP:
- Phobias: symptoms and treatment (NHS website)
Dental Treatment
We do not prescribe sedatives, such as diazepam, before dental treatment. If you feel anxious about dental treatment, please talk to your dentist. Dentists can prescribe sedatives when they are needed, and the dentist treating you is responsible for doing so.
Medicines needed for dental problems, such as antibiotics, should also come from your dentist.
We are not able to give advice or ‘clearance’ for routine dental treatment if you have no significant or complex medical conditions. Your dentist can assess you using the information you give them, including if you take blood-thinning medicine.
If you do not have a dentist, you can find a dentist near you (NHS website). For an urgent dental problem when you cannot get help from a dentist, contact NHS 111.
Hospital Scans and Procedures
We do not prescribe sedatives, such as diazepam, before MRI scans or other hospital tests and procedures.
Guidance from the Royal College of Radiologists says that sedation should be given by a trained team, after an assessment and with a sedation plan, and that sedated patients should be properly monitored. Your GP cannot do this, so sedation must be arranged by the hospital team carrying out your scan or procedure.
What Can Help
- If you are anxious or claustrophobic, contact the hospital department named on your appointment letter well before your appointment. They can talk through your options, which may include sedation or, for some MRI scans, an open or upright scanner.
- What happens during an MRI scan (NHS website)
- Claustrophobia: symptoms and support (NHS website)
Medicines for Travel
We cannot give NHS prescriptions for medicines you might need while abroad but do not need now. This includes medicines for jet lag, travel sickness, altitude sickness or diarrhoea as well as sunscreen. We also do not prescribe compression stockings on the NHS just to prevent DVT on long flights.
You can buy many of these from a pharmacy, or ask a private travel clinic. We do not prescribe ‘just in case’ antibiotics, even privately, because of the risk of antibiotic resistance.
Your Regular Medicines Abroad
If you are going abroad for three months or less, we can usually give your normal prescription quantity, if it is clinically appropriate. If you are going for longer than three months, we will usually give you up to a maximum of three months’ supply unless there are prescribing restrictions on some of your medication, for example controlled drugs. You will need to arrange further medicines supply from a clinician at your destination.
If you take a controlled medicine abroad, check the rules before you travel: Taking medicine in or out of the UK (GOV.UK). Please also tell your travel insurer about any medical conditions and medicines.
For travel vaccines, see our Travel Vaccinations page.
