Parallel import

The parallel import is a type of circulation of goods between the countries of the European Economic Area which consists in purchasing the medicinal products in the potentially cheapest market, repacking them into new packages and providing them with the translated leaflets. Then the medicines are distributed to the pharmaceutical warehouses, hospitals and pharmacies at prices lower than the local prices.

All stages of the process of parallel import: purchase, delivery, repacking, serialization and distribution of medicinal products are supervised by competent bodies: the Chief Pharmaceutical Inspector, Minister of Health, and the President of the Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices and Biocidal Products.

The medicinal product from the parallel import contains the same active substance, same strength and method of administration as the medicinal product with the Marketing Authorisation in the country origin (purchase) and in the destination country (e.g. in Poland). It should be not confused with its equivalents (the generic drugs).

• repackaging and storage of medicinal products Rx and OTC under the conditions specified in the Marketing Authorisation, also under the conditions of the so-called cold chain i.e. in a temperature of +2°C – +8°C (for the implementation of above-mentioned we have at our disposal a cold room with constant temperature monitoring) with the destination for the Polish market as well as foreign markets, including:
  • replacement of a leaflet;
  • replacement of a carton box;
  • labelling of cartons, blisters, sachets, bottles and others pack format;
  • change of the language version on unit packages or cartons;
  • archival samples storage;

• a full range of serialization service (including reporting to EMVO), marking packages with 2D Data Matrix codes (and other required information). We ensure full compliance with the European Directive on preventing falsified medicinal products introduction in the legal chain of Distribution (Directive 2011/62/UE) (FMD UE);
• protection of unit packages with tamper-evident stickers;
• full service of Qualified Persons (QPs) for batch release or further distribution.