What Do You Need To Know To Ensure Shipping Success To North Africa?
Whilst obviously part of the African continent, North Africa is very definitely its own distinct region, very much divided from sub-Saharan Africa, and most definitely not part of the Middle East (although the population of 423 million represents some 58% of the Arab League which spreads from the Middle East and over the whole of Northern Africa). North Africa has been up till now a much under-used area when it comes to clinical trials.
Egypt leads the way for clinical trials with (according to clinicaltrials.gov) almost 1200 either having taken place or in progress, which is no mean feat, particularly given the hiatus experienced for new trials during the political uncertainty of the Arab Spring. It is the most populous country in the region, at around 80 million, which has clearly been a heavy influence.
Later in the article, discussion about temperature controlled BioPharma takes place:
Import License: Is always required to import pharmaceuticals and only the consignee can apply for the import licence. Officially the consignee can only make the application at the MoH once the shipment has arrived at the airport, and once they have the original invoice, MAWB and HWB, which must be presented for the application. For temperature-controlled shipments, it is often possible to apply for and to obtain the import licence based on a copy of the invoice, i.e. before physical shipping takes place. The import licence takes a minimum of one week, but can be several weeks or longer. In very rare cases, the MoH has refused to issue an import licence. It is strongly recommended to seek advice prior to shipping.
A copy of the consignee’s company registration certificate is always required to clear non-documents. When including a temperature recorder in shipments, the MoH requires the product name and batch number (as a minimum) to be saved as customised data, when the temperature recorder is programmed. Information is checked against the customs invoice at the point of import. Failure to comply may result in MoH refusing the use of the product.
Source: Outsourced Pharma
