How to Send Medicine from India to U.S.A

Medications are amongst the most important items for us in daily life. If you need medication from India, can it be sent to you? This article answers how to send medicine from India to U.S.A. It is a fairly complex process and the steps need to be followed precisely in order for the drugs to be permitted. 

According to the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) :

“In most cases, it’s illegal for people to import drugs into the U.S. for personal use. That’s because drugs available in other countries haven’t been evaluated or approved by the FDA for use or sale in the U.S., so we can’t ensure that they are safe and effective. FDA generally considers such drugs unapproved. 

The FDA does however allow some drugs. These are drugs that are:

• Required for treatment 
• Are not available in the United States

You will have to prove that both of the above are true. The FDA will consider several factors while deciding what they can import.

These are the conditions that must be met:

• The drug must be necessary for the treatment of a serious condition for which an effective treatment is unavailable in the U.S. Drugs that have existing forms in the U.S. that can be used as a substitute, are not generally permitted. 

• The drug cannot be marketed to U.S. residents. The import must not be for commercial purposes.

• The drugs should not be able to cause any major health risks. In order to import medication into the U.S., it has to be approved by the FDA. If the drugs are similar to drugs not allowed by the FDA, then they cannot be imported. 

• You must have a written prescription from your doctor. It has to be in English and must show that the drugs are for a treatment that started outisde the U.S. The prescritpion has to have the name of the doctor, their address, and phone number.

• Your doctor also has to give the name and address of a licensed U.S. physician who will manage your treatment after the medicine reached the United States. 

• The supply must be for less than 90 days. Supply for longer than 90 days will not be permitted. 

Drug Information

• Type of medicine: Tablet, capsule, syrup etc

• Amount of medicine being sent 

• Kind of packaging 

• Dosage of medicine

• Name and address of the drug manufacturer

• The type of illness or condition that is being treated

How to Send Ayurvedic Medicines from india to USA

Ayurvedic medicine also require a physician’s letter with the specifications about the mixture and its preparation. 

Medicine Courier 

Numerous Indian courier services will charge you less and have good reviews. You can choose one based on reliability, charges, insurance and the care that they take. They usually take less than a week to deliver. The American courier services are faster and more expensive. How urgently you need your medication will be the determining factor in your selection. 

The price will also depend on the size and demensions of your package.

The U.S Customs and Border Protection might detain drugs sent through the mail. This could take up to one month. In order to prevent this, the following can be done:

• Write a note on the package that mentions there is a letter for the CBP office inside.

• Flag your package with the help of your courier service. This way FDA inspectors will be alerted about your situation. 

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