How to Pack a First Aid Kit for Extended International Travel

We talked to travel health experts and our own 52 Places Travelers to learn what products and medicines should go in your first-aid kit.

It’s a question that the two 52 Places Travelers have fielded from readers and colleagues alike: How do you stay healthy when crisscrossing the world for nearly 365 days? And what do you pack in case you get sick? Each location has its own set of challenges, recommended vaccines and access to pharmacies.

There’s a thin line between being over- and underprepared, said Rebecca Acosta, the co-founder and executive director of Traveler’s Medical Service. The average globe-trotting traveler does not need I.V. bags and syringes, she said, though the items are suggested for those trekking in rural areas.