Global Import Regulations for

Thailand

General Market Condition: Prohibited

Source: Report from CS Post (via Cable), 21 March 2002

The Government of Thailand prohibits the importation of used or refurbished medical equipment into the country, but does not prohibit sales of those devices.

The potential market for refurbished devices is strong, especially for non-invasive, non-life-threatening devices. They include pulse oximeters, bedside monitoring devices, and blood pressure-monitoring devices.

Source: Industry Sector Analysis, Healthcare Products, 8 March 2002

The Medical Devices Control Division, Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Public Health, controls importation of medical devices into Thailand. Prior approval of importation and device registration through this office is required. Any devices that are not allowed to be marketed or sold in the manufacturing country will not receive permission to be registered in, or imported into Thailand. The Thai Government does not allow importation of used or refurbished medical equipment.

Source: Report from CS Post (via E-Mail), 1 April 2001 (Confirmed as still accurate, 21 March 2002)

The Government of Thailand prohibits the importation of used or refurbished medical equipment into the country, but does not prohibit sales of those devices. Public health institutions have a policy that prohibits the purchase of used or refurbished devices because of concerns about quality and reliability.

On the other hand, there is a market for refurbished devices among private health institutions, specifically non-invasive, non-life-threatening devices. The devices in this group include pulse oximeters, blood pressure monitoring devices, and other bedside monitoring devices. These devices are traded locally among the private health institutions. There is also a good potential for sales of device calibration services to both public and private hospitals in Thailand.

Trinidad & Tobago

General Market Condition: No Restrictions

Source: Report from CS Post (via Cable), 28 March 2002

There are no special restrictions or tarriffs that apply to used medical equipment that do not apply to new medical equiment. Duties are charged based on the cost of the product. Documentary evidence of cost is required. Public health institutions seldom buy used or refurbished medical devices. The market for used or refurbished medical devices is very small.

Tunisia

General Market Condition: No Restrictions

Source: Report from CS Post (via Cable), 30 October 1998 (Confirmed as still valid, 4 March 2002)

According to the Tunisian Ministry of Commerce, there are no statutory prohibitions on the import of used/refurbished equipment. Imports of used equipment are subject to strict control by the Ministry of Industry, whose inspectors verify the proper functioning of all used equipment imports.

There are no specific restrictions on individual categories of used/refurbished equipment, but each import is reviewed thoroughly and is admitted entry on a case-by-case basis.

While regulations are minimal, importation of used equipment into Tunisia is difficult as there is a strong preference for guarantees and after-sale service which comes with new equipment. Local banks that finance industrial products normally require that purchased equipment be new. Used equipment is sometimes imported as part of a foreign investor’s contribution-in-kind to the capital of a project. The purchase of used equipment for government-funded projects is permitted only in exceptional circumstances.

The United States is Tunisia’s fourth largest foreign supplier and U.S. technology is held in high regard in Tunisia for its state-of-the-art technology. Given the difficulty of assessing the true ease of entry for used equipment and the general Tunisian preference for new items, however, the Tunisian market is not particularly well suited for used/refurbished U.S. equipment exports.

Turkey

General Market Condition: Restricted

Source: Turkey Country Commercial Guide FY 2002

Leading Sectors For US Exports And Investments
Name of Sector: Medical Equipment
ITA Industry Code: MED

Turkey’s demand for medical products and related equipment is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. The current total market size for the overall medical equipment sector is approximately US$ 750 million, with the U.S. share being a healthy fifteen percent. The estimated annual growth rate of imports from the United States is 20 percent.

In recent years, the Government of Turkey has allocated more funding to healthcare, substantially improving most of Turkey’s healthcare standards. However, healthcare services are still inadequate to cope with a rapidly expanding population (currently about 65 million and growing by nearly two percent annually). Health expenditures represent approximately 5 percent of GNP.

The Turkish Ministry of Health (MOH) is the largest provider of healthcare in Turkey. Health care facilities operated by MOH account for approximately 84,000 beds. Other government agencies including the Ministry of National Defense, Social Security Agency (SSK), various public sector medical faculties and municipalities account for an additional 70,000 beds. The private sector, including foreign organizations and various associations, operate a total of 15,000 beds.

The private sector is actively expanding its role in the health sector. New capital-intensive medical technologies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and megavolt radiation therapy will continue to be purchased by Turkish hospitals. Major suppliers are the United States, Europe, and Japan. The Turkish business community has a high opinion of U.S. medical equipment and suppliers.

Demand for used, refurbished equipment (traditionally low), has increased over the last few years and is becoming an alternative source for emerging distributors and end-users because of lower prices and shorter delivery time. Current Turkish import regulations permit the importation of used equipment, no more than five years old. Equipment between five and ten years old is technically subject to a 50 percent import duty. The importation of devices over ten years old is prohibited.

The World Bank contributes to the financing of the government’s healthcare improvement projects and has lent $76 million and $140 million respectively for the First and Second Health Projects between 1991 and 2001. Total investment required for these two projects was $346 million, and the Turkish Government supplied the remaining portion.

Most major government tenders outside the scope of the World Bank Health Project still require supplier credit. The GOT also encourages use of the ‘Build-Operate-Transfer’ (BOT) model as a means of procuring equipment for which funds are scarce. The BOT model calls for the vendor to install and operate the equipment, receive the revenues from the use of equipment, and finally transfer the equipment at the end of a specified period that covers expenses and profit.

Effective June 1, 1996, all medical equipment imports are subject to the Turkish Standards Institute (TSE) approval. USFDA approval is regarded as a seal of quality. Medical devices for sale (without restrictions) in the United States may normally be imported for sale in Turkey.