X-Ray Scanners: Are Your Medicines At Risk?

Airport X-ray scanners are used to detect contraband hidden under clothing. While the potential for ionizing radiation to cause damage depends on the dose, the doses of ionizing radiation emitted by backscatter X-ray scans at airports are exceedingly low. There is limited data on the sensitivity of particular therapeutic agents to radiation damage. However, if a drug's effectiveness or safety could be impacted by airport X-ray screening, this would be indicated on the label or package insert. According to a study on the effect of X-ray exposure on drug tablets, it was found that exposure to X-rays did not affect the pharmaceutical quality of the drug content.

X-ray scanners are safe for medications

X-ray scanners are generally considered safe for medications. According to the FDA, which oversees labelling, there are currently no drugs with special instructions to avoid airport X-ray machines. If there were any potential issues, this would be indicated on the label or package insert.

A study by researchers at Nagoya City University in Japan found that exposing several types of tablets to X-ray doses up to three times higher than those used in X-ray scanning equipment did not affect the pharmaceutical quality of the drugs. The samples exposed to X-rays exhibited similar results in dissolution, disintegration, and hardness tests as the control samples.

Furthermore, the standard carry-on baggage X-ray scanner at airports exposes items to approximately 15% of the daily exposure to background radiation. A study showed that 10 consecutive passes through an X-ray scanner had no noticeable effect on the viability and proliferative capacity of hematopoietic stem cells.

However, it is important to note that there is limited data available on the sensitivity of specific therapeutic agents to radiation damage. If you are concerned about potential effects on your medications, you can contact the manufacturer for more information or request a manual inspection of your medications at the airport.

CT scanners can damage medicines

CT scanners are a type of X-ray machine that can be used to check baggage at airports. They use a combination of X-rays and computer technology to create detailed images of the inside of an object. While this technology is very useful for security, there are concerns that it could damage medicines.

The impact of CT scanners on medicines is a valid concern because X-rays can damage some medications. X-rays produce ionizing radiation, which may damage DNA and lead to cancer. The risk of this happening is very small—approximately 1 in 2,000—but it is still a possibility. Furthermore, the effects of radiation exposure accumulate over time, so the risk increases with each CT scan.

Medicines are sensitive to radiation, and X-rays can affect their potency. While there is limited data on the sensitivity of specific therapeutic agents to radiation damage, it is known that some medications, such as sublingual nitroglycerine tablets, are vulnerable to radiation. Repeated exposure to X-rays could potentially reduce the effectiveness of these medications.

However, it is important to note that the radiation exposure from a single pass through a CT scanner is relatively low. It is equivalent to less than a year's worth of background radiation, which comes from the natural radioactive decay of isotopes. This suggests that a single scan is unlikely to cause significant damage to medications. Nonetheless, it is recommended to avoid CT scanners for medication screening whenever possible and to keep all medications in carry-on luggage to minimize potential damage.

To summarize, CT scanners can potentially damage medicines by reducing their potency or effectiveness. While the risk of significant damage from a single scan is low, it is advisable to minimize exposure to CT scans and keep medications in carry-on luggage whenever possible.

The FDA says no drugs have instructions to avoid airport x-ray

If you're travelling with medication, you might be concerned about the potential impact of airport X-ray scanners on your drugs. The good news is that, according to the FDA, there are no known drugs that require special instructions to avoid airport X-ray machines. This means that the standard security screening process at airports should not affect the safety or effectiveness of your medication.

However, if you are still concerned about potential X-ray exposure, there are a few options available to you. Firstly, you can contact the manufacturer of your medication to discuss any specific concerns. Additionally, you have the right to request a manual inspection of your medication by airport security, without having to send it through an X-ray machine. It is recommended to keep your medication in a separate pouch or bag to make this process easier and less time-consuming for both you and the screeners.

It's also worth noting that the standard carry-on baggage X-ray scanners expose materials to a relatively low level of radiation—approximately 15% of the daily exposure to background radiation. A recent study showed that 10 consecutive passes through an X-ray scanner had no noticeable effect on the viability and proliferative capacity of hematopoietic stem cells. So, while there is no need to avoid airport X-ray machines for your medication, it is still good to be informed about the potential risks and alternatives.

Furthermore, if you are travelling with liquid medications, it is recommended to keep them with you in your carry-on luggage. The cargo section of an airplane is not temperature-controlled, and your medication could be damaged or rendered unusable if placed in checked baggage. By keeping your liquid medications with you, you also avoid the risk of losing access to them in the event of lost or delayed checked baggage.

X-ray exposure has no effect on drug quality

X-ray inspection is an effective way of checking pharmaceutical products for contaminants, fill levels, damaged or missing components, and damaged packaging. It is also used to detect the presence of drug tablets in aluminum foil press-through packaging. However, some pharmaceutical manufacturers worry that X-ray inspection may compromise the therapeutic efficacy of their products by altering chemical compounds and breaking covalent bonds in drug molecules.

The radiation levels used in X-ray inspection are very low and directed at each product for a fraction of a second. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that there are "no known adverse effects" from consuming medicines that have been inspected by X-ray. The FDA also emphasizes that the dose level received by an object going through an X-ray inspection system is lower than the background radiation dose level that the same object will be exposed to in a single day.

Research supports the hypothesis that there is no evidence of damage to pharmaceutical products after X-ray inspection. A study conducted in 2015 by scientists at the Department of Drug Delivery and Nano Pharmaceuticals at Nagoya City University, Japan, exposed three pharmaceutical drug tablets to X-ray doses from 0.34 mGy—three times the typical dose delivered by X-ray inspection—up to 300 Gy, about one million times the typical dose. The drugs tested were acetaminophen, loxoprofen, and mefenamic acid tablets. Following exposure, the samples were evaluated in formulation tests for dissolution, disintegration, and hardness and were found to exhibit almost the same profile as samples that had not been exposed to radiation. The samples were also subjected to accelerated temperature and humidity tests in combination with X-ray exposure, and this also did not affect the pharmaceutical quality.

Another study looked at the effect of two hours of X-ray exposure on the pharmaceutical substances tramadol HCI and nifedipine, and no degradation was observed in either substance. While these results strongly suggest that X-ray inspection does not affect drug quality, not all formulations have been studied. However, there is a growing weight of evidence from the day-to-day operation of X-ray inspection in the pharmaceutical field that inspected drugs continue to operate as they should, without detriment to patient safety.

Passengers can opt for manual inspection of their medicines

Passengers travelling with medication may opt for manual inspection of their medicines instead of X-ray screening. This is allowed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which states that passengers have the right to a visual inspection of their medications.

To request a manual inspection, passengers must inform a security official before their items are sent through the X-ray tunnel. Medication should be clearly labelled and kept separate from other carry-on baggage to facilitate the screening process and reduce delays. Passengers may also be required to open containers holding liquid medication.

The TSA recommends that medication be carried in hand luggage, rather than checked baggage, to ensure immediate access. Medication in liquid form is allowed in carry-on bags in excess of 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters, provided it is in reasonable quantities for the flight. Medication in pill or solid form can be carried in unlimited amounts.

Passengers travelling with nitroglycerin tablets or spray, used to treat coronary artery disease, should note that these are permitted by the TSA and have never been prohibited.

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