When a medical emergency happens in a remote area, having the right medications on hand can literally mean the difference between life and death. Duration Health Founder and CEO Dr. Benjamin Jack created the company’s hospital-grade medical kits after seeing patients in rural ERs who died because they couldn’t get to the hospital in time.
Since its launch in 2019, Duration Health has redefined overland first aid with its doctor-prescribed medical kits. Before your trip, you go online and talk with one of their wilderness medicine doctors. They prescribe you medication you might need if you get sick, like antibiotics or EpiPens. This allows you to have the medications in your vehicle so that if you do get sick, you already have everything you need to get well.
“As wilderness medicine doctors, we have easy access to emergency medications for when we go off-grid, but what is everyone else supposed to do?” said Dr. Jack. “Duration Health makes it possible for anyone to get emergency medications and supplies for travel to a remote area where medical care may be out of reach or nonexistent.”
The Overland Med Kit
Duration Health recently launched the Overland Med Kit, specifically tailored to the needs of overlanders. The Overland Med Kit includes medications to treat wound infection, intestinal illness, tick-borne illness, Lyme, allergic reactions and poison ivy, cuts and bites, swimmer’s ear, pink eye, and more.
The Overland Med Kit includes Rx medications like amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin ophthalmic, doxycycline, mupirocin, ondansetron, prednisone, triamcinolone, and more. In addition to these base items, every kit can be customized with over 70 other items.
Every kit includes a pre-trip online consultation with a Board-Certified physician to customize your kit and issue prescriptions. Medications are available for both adults and kids.
“There are already a ton of great first aid kits on the market, but none of them have these potentially lifesaving medications because they require a doctor’s prescription. We provide the doctor via an online visit, plus the required prescriptions and the medication,” said Dr. Jack. “We built the Overland Med Kit to accompany the basic first aid kit you already have and turn your vehicle into a traveling hospital.”
Duration Health even carries EpiPens to treat anaphylaxis and Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to treat sudden cardiac arrest.
“People assume that they’ll have time to get help, but that’s not the reality. An allergic reaction from a single insect sting can kill a healthy person in under an hour. The chance of surviving a sudden cardiac arrest drops by 10% for every minute defibrillation is delayed,” said Dr. Jack. “We provide medication and equipment to treat these and other worst-case scenarios. Every kit includes an online consultation with a physician, so we can help you think through what items you might need based on where you’re traveling, with whom, and for how long.”
Free Field Guide
All Duration Health Med Kits include a 122-page printed Field Guide with triage and treatment protocols for common issues and emergency situations.
The Field Guide covers more than 30 categories, including abdominal pain, nose and sinus, envenomation and bites, eye and ear, heat stroke, and pediatrics.
The company also makes the Field Guide available for free online, in your browser, or as a downloadable PDF.
Go Where There Is No Doctor
“Be ready for a medical emergency when you go off-grid,” said Dr. Jack. “When you’re off-road, hours from the nearest hospital, no one is coming to help. You are the help. There’s no excuse not to be prepared.”
Disclaimer: This paid story was produced in partnership with Duration Health.