Importing medicine is one of the most important measures in providing the medical needs of the people of a country. Medicines are imported in countries where, for any reason, medicines are not produced in sufficient quantities, or some medicines are not generally produced in that country, or the medicines produced are not of the required quality.
Since the introduction of medicine is directly related to the health of the people involved, rigid standards have been created in this field. In many cases, government agencies issue the necessary permits for drug entry into the country so that counterfeit and inappropriate drugs do not enter the country.
In the Middle East, they use three times the global average of drugs, and in each prescription issued by doctors, an average of 3 to 4 drugs are written; A number that is around 2 in the world. The high consumption of medicine in Iran has made it relatively difficult to supply the amount of medicine needed by working people; On the one hand, due to the support of domestic producers, the import of drugs sometimes faces difficulties, and on the other hand, drugs are directly related to people’s health, and naturally, sensitivities about their import are very high.
In this article from Meran Blue Golf, we want to introduce you to all the twists and turns of drug importation in Iran. Join us.
What are the conditions for importing medicine to the Middle East?
Medicines are imported to the Middle East based on the laws and regulations established by the Food and Drug Organization and the Ministry of Health of each country individually. Importing medicine to these countries is done with maximum compliance with health standards and paying attention to people’s medicinal needs. In general, pharmaceutical products imported to the Middle East must meet the following conditions:
- Having a production, sales and export license
- Transporting medicine with standard and suitable transport conditions
- Adherence to international quality standards in the produced medicine
- Having a label with the necessary information about the type of use and storage conditions of the drug
It is better to import goods such as medicine from reputable countries that can produce high-quality goods. Paying attention to the customs tariffs and regulations related to the import of drugs in the country should be carefully examined and then action should be taken on the trade and trading of drugs.
NOTE: If inappropriate drugs are sent to the country, traders face issues such as arresting the drug, paying drug fines, or even being banned from entering.
The amount of medicine imports in the Middle East
The latest statistics on the import of medicine show that in 2023, 21.7 thousand tons of pharmaceutical and medical products with a value equivalent to 2.5 billion euros were imported into Iran. It is predicted that in the coming years this amount will expand widely and the import and export of drugs in the South West Asia region will increase significantly.
Drug import procedures
Importing medicine to the Middle East requires familiarity with customs laws and regulations, familiarity with commercial policies and obtaining the necessary permits of each country. The following steps are necessary for international pharmaceutical trade. The import process, as with all imported goods, will first begin by examining the domestic market and identifying the required drugs that have potential customers. To import medicine, a certain series of steps must be followed. including:
- Find a reliable foreign manufacturer
- Negotiations and receiving drug samples
- Checking the quality and credibility of the foreign company and complete research
- contract
- Proforma invoice for sending goods
- Obtaining drug import licenses
- Transfer the purchase amount of medicine to the account of the foreign company
- Choose a shipping method
- Cost estimation
- Customs clearance and cargo entry
1. Find a reliable foreign manufacturer
Many companies in the world are engaged in drug production. At this stage, you should contact companies from different countries of the world and choose a suitable company to buy medicine.
2. Negotiations and receiving drug samples
After finding the company, you should ask them to send you a list of their manufactured products so that you have somehow completed a part of the company’s validation process. At this stage, you should measure the quality of the samples of the products sent and decide on the possibility of doing business with that company.
3. Checking the quality and credibility of the foreign company and complete research
In addition to all the previous steps, you must separately research the desired company. An interesting way at this stage can be to search the name of the desired company next to the word “fraud” and see the results. If you see many cases, it is better to avoid cooperation with that company. But if you are sure of the promise and quality of the company’s work, you can start the business process.
4. contract
At this stage, you should draw up a legally solid contract with the foreign company that includes all the required items in that contract. In the contract, details such as how to pay the amount, obligations of the parties and how to pay fines in case of non-fulfillment of obligations should be discussed in detail. It is better to get help from a legal advisor at this stage.
5.Proforma invoice for sending goods
Proforma invoice is one of the necessities of importing goods and you must set it up accurately. In the proforma invoice, things such as the price of the drugs and the type and number of the sent drugs should be fully stated.
6. Obtaining drug import licenses
We will explain the drug import licenses in detail below. At this stage, you must make sure that you have all the permits so that you do not face any problems during the clearance of the drug shipments.
7. Transfer the purchase amount of medicine to the account of the foreign company
After ensuring cooperation with the desired company and signing a contract, you must pay the amount of imported cargo to the desired company. At this stage, you must have already agreed on the method of payment so that there is no problem in the meantime.
8. Choose a shipping method
If the drugs you want to import must be transported and consumed quickly, it is better to choose faster methods such as the air method. At this stage, you should choose the best and most optimal way to transport your imported cargo according to the type of drugs sent, country of origin and transportation costs.
9. Cost estimation
To determine the price of imported drugs and sell them in Iran, after determining the transportation method, you must estimate the import costs accurately so that you can set the price in a fair way and in such a way that your profit is also included. , determine
10. Customs clearance and cargo entry
Now you have reached the final stage and it is time to clear your imported medicines. At this stage, after going through the legal procedures in the customs, the drugs must be cleared and enter the sales cycle. It is better to get help from a reputable import company like Meran group to ensure the smooth clearance of your shipments.
Necessary documents for medicine import
Importing medicine, like any other commercial goods, requires a series of general documents and permits, such as the original proforma, commercial invoice, export and import permit, clearance sheet, bill of lading, etc.
However, the special licenses that are issued for pharmaceutical and food products are more than this amount, and the following licenses are needed to issue a drug import permit.
- Providing DMF
- Drug birth certificate
- Original CPP certificate
- Quality tests sheet
- Certificate of authenticity and compatibility
- License to manufacture or sell drugs
- Product sample for quality testing
ATTENTION: Sending medicine without obtaining the necessary permits has many adverse effects on public health and reducing people’s trust in the judicial and pharmaceutical system.
Unlicensed drugs that do not have the necessary quality can cause serious harm to the health of people in society.
Providing DMF
DMF or Drug Master File is considered an important document in pharmaceutical filters, and although it is not necessary for pharmaceutical companies to enter countries, it will have a better chance of entering the country if it is provided. Information about raw materials, formulation, analysis documents and product manufacturing specifications are mentioned in DMF.
CPP certificate
Pharmaceutical product certificate or CPP, which stands for Certificate of a Pharmaceutical Product, is one of the necessary documents for drug import. This certificate, which is issued by the World Health Organization (WHO), provides information about the drug, its manufacturing company, and is necessary for the entry of the drug.
medicine import licenses in the Middle East
To import medicine to Asia, you need to get special permits from the relevant bodies. Licenses to import medicine to one of the countries, for example Iran, include the following:
- Drug sample
- Certificate of representation
- Invoice number and date
- Copy of license of technical officer
- Order registration papers
- Proforma signed by the manufacturer
- Provide formulation
- Source registration certificate
- Providing the original health certificate
- Provide product specifications in Farsi language
What products do drug exports to the Middle East include?
The countries of the Middle East produce most of the drugs they need, including generic drugs (génériques), but in the case of more advanced drugs that are suitable for specific diseases, they depend on drug imports. Most of the drugs sent are related to chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and neurological diseases.
- Heart medicine: beta blocker, ACE inhibitor, alpha and beta antagonists, diuretic
- Diabetic medicine: insulin, metformin, sulfonylurea, thiazolidine, alphaglucosidase.
- Anticancer drug: antibody, platinum complex, doxorubicin, paclitaxel
- Nervous system medicine: Antidepressant, anticonvulsant, anti-anxiety, antihistamine
- Antiviral drug: vaccine, antiviral, antibiotic
Countries that exchange medicine with the Middle East?
Medicines are imported to the Middle East mainly from different countries in order to treat diseases and save people’s lives. The countries that have relations with South West Asia in pharmaceutical trade are listed below.
- India
- china
- Türkiye
- Germany
- Europe and America
- Dubai
India and China are one of the main suppliers of pharmaceutical products that offer quality and acceptable prices for their products. Also, European or American countries send medicine, although it is a bit more difficult to exchange medicine with America in the Middle East despite the sanctions. For this reason, Dubai is one of the commercial hubs to circumvent the sanctions.
Importing medicine from Dubai
Is Dubai a suitable source for importing medicine? The fact is that the UAE does not have a special place among drug producers, but the special features that belong to this country make the import of drugs from Dubai a safe option for traders. The most important features that make Dubai a suitable country for drug import are:
- Closeness and short distance
- There are many flights between the two countries
- Flight from various cities of the country to Dubai and vice versa
- Low shipping costs
- The presence of representatives of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies in Dubai
Import and export from Dubai with a reliable and professional company in this field, with an experienced team and professional staff based in Dubai.
MERAN BLUE GULF
Prohibitions on medicine importation
The import of some medicines faces certain restrictions and their customs clearance faces many problems. Some of these drugs include:
- Amoxicillin
- Oxycodone
- Pseudoephedrine
- Nitroglycerin granules
- Erythromycin
- Buprenorphine
- Codeine phosphate
- Tramadol hydrochloride
- Penicillin J
- Methadone hydrochloride
- Aminopenicilanic acid
A final word about the import of medicine
Importing drugs requires a license from the Food and Drug Organization of countries, and commercial companies cannot import any drug without obtaining the necessary licenses. It is necessary to register the information required for drug entry, including the information of the manufacturing company and intermediary company to the Food and Drug Organization.
In recent years, the import of drugs to the Middle East has faced restrictions, and the high price of some drugs in the domestic market and the creation of a black market for the purchase and sale of some drugs have caused businessmen to legally import all kinds of drugs and drug supplements. The entry of unauthorized medicinal products threatens people’s health, and for this reason, the delivery of medicines is accompanied by a lot of strictures from the relevant government agencies.
Due to the high sensitivity related to the import of drugs, it is better to do any drug exchange and trade (drug imports) in consultation with intermediary trading companies that have experience in this field.
