Delays in Customs Procedures, Followed by Prohibited Importation of Cosmetics, Toiletries, and Medicines

[Dottie Atwater]

1 hour ago, Brundageba said:

.  I doubt it's of the same quality.  Some of the supplements I order I've never seen here.   Do you know of a place that has a wide variety?  GNC does not.  If there's a place I'd love to shop here rather than pay for shipment

If you look at the ingredients in the supplements locally available...well, I won't buy them anyway. I've mentioned before The Box Shop in David, $2.50 per lb. plus a surcharge of 50 cents per box. I've had great experiences with them and I've never had a shipment of anything, including supplements, held up. Using The Box Shop has saved me a bundle, too!

[Keith Woolford]

Point taken.

[JudyS]

13 hours ago, Keith Woolford said:

Although I certainly understand that some medications are not be available here, there doesn't seem to be any shortage of supplements and vitamins.

I take one that is not available here and another one that costs 10 times as much here.

 

[Brundageba]

2 hours ago, JudyS said:

I take one that is not available here and another one that costs 10 times as much here.

Yes.  One I take that was prescribed by my ophthalmologist here that was so much more expensive here in the Hospital Chiriqui it was ridiculous.   ( I doubt I saved that prescription she wrote. )   What I do not understand is the rationale on the law.  Attaching a duty to personal-use medicines, vitamins and beauty items seems like would curtail any commercial sale of same..  If it's to protect the health of the recipient...well hey, buyer beware. 

[Bonnie]

12 hours ago, Dottie Atwater said:

If you look at the ingredients in the supplements locally available...well, I won't buy them anyway. I've mentioned before The Box Shop in David, $2.50 per lb. plus a surcharge of 50 cents per box. I've had great experiences with them and I've never had a shipment of anything, including supplements, held up. Using The Box Shop has saved me a bundle, too!

Dottie, this doesn't relate solely to medications and cosmetics facilitated and received via MBE. The government of Panama is prohibiting importation of meds, supplements, and cosmetics by whatever means. The exceptions are listed in Articulo 40.

[Bonnie]

20 hours ago, Bonnie said:

Yes, it is. Articulo 44 deals with cosmetics. Articulo 40 deals with medications. Both the title of the communique and the MBE email are misleading.

Articulo 44 is framed in terms of ensuring sanitation, but I would bet it had its genesis in squawking from businesses that sell these products. First Panama protects its workforce by passing immigration laws that negatively impact expats. Now Panama is adopting regulations to protect business interests, and these regulations also negatively impact expats. I question the wisdom of these moves. What next? As media types are saying about the Trump administration, "drip, drip, drip."

Correction:  Articulo 40 addresses exceptions to the law. (It's amazing how much clearer things are in the morning.) Number 3 provides an exception for medically necessary drugs when they are not available in country. There is no guidance on how necessity will be established, however. Perhaps it is the paperwork that is currently required. If so, then the real news here is that cosmetics no longer are allowed. I hope we will receive further guidance.

[Brundageba]

23 hours ago, NewsLady said:

The following was received yesterday by customers of Mailboxes, etc. Note that in the Comunicado addresses drugs as well as cosmetics. It essentially states the drugs and cosmetics no longer can be imported into Panama. There are exceptions for medically necessary drugs not available in Panama, but how medical necessity will be determined is not clear at this point.

 

I have asked the U.S. Embassy for help in interpreting how this new regulation will be administered. And there is a discussion of the issue on Chiriqui Life (www.chiriqui.life) for those who are interested.

 

Bonnie Williams

U.S. Warden

Boquete

 

 

To all our valued Customers - URGENT PLEASE READ Today we received a notification from the MINSA (Panamanian Health Bureau) stating that the import of cosmetics for personal use is prohibited.  That applies to makeup, shampoo, body lotion, perfume, etc. If you have any questions please contact us. The MBE Corporate is seeing the possible options to solve this situation. In the meantime, we would be grateful if you did not bring this type of merchandise to prevent it being seized by Customs. We appreciate your understanding and hope to have positive news soon. VELKYS MUNOZ MAIL BOXES ETC. – BOQUETE TEL   011 (507) 720-2684

  image001.jpg  

 

 

 

 

UPDATE as of today 8/5/17 per Arturo at MBE

Supplements YES...Cosmetics NO

Ok I can deal with that.

Alison

Edited August 6, 2017 by Moderator_02
This was the lead reply in aother topic; this reply and many others were moved into this topic for continuity purposes. The referenced topic has been also been added herein for continuity purposes.

[Bonnie]

7 minutes ago, Brundageba said:

UPDATE as of today 8/5/17 per Arturo at MBE

Supplements YES...Cosmetics NO

Ok I can deal with that.

Alison

Supplements "yes"; cosmetics "no"? I cannot imagine what the rationale for this could be.

[Alan Robert Ross]

How about prescription drugs?
Are they really not going to allow them in any more?

Did Arturo comment on them or only vitamins and cosmetics?

Thanks in advance.

[Velkys Munoz]

Hola, the restriction is only for cosmetics.  

Prescription drugs are allowed however we need to get a permit and the procedure takes takes 10 - 20 days.  

Suplements, vitamines and food also need a permit, but this process is easier and faster.   

Have a good weekend and please do not hesitate to contact us if you need any information.

[Susan Frank]

1 hour ago, Velkys Munoz said:

Hola, the restriction is only for cosmetics.  

Prescription drugs are allowed however we need to get a permit and the procedure takes takes 10 - 20 days.  

Suplements, vitamines and food also need a permit, but this process is easier and faster.   

Have a good weekend and please do not hesitate to contact us if you need any information.

hello velkys ~ is the permit allowing MBE to import these items as requested by customers; or is a permit needed for each package which arrives?

[Lynn Garrett]

I'm wondering if this regulation addresses meds and supplements and creams brought in luggage. We usually get three months of meds from the VA at a time, for minimal cost, sent to my sister's house in the US, then bring it back with us when we visit. Since we go every 6 months, this still requires a package sent after 3 months. Since some of the meds are for cancer and quite expensive, this might be the tipping point for a more rapid permanent move back to the US. More aggressive cancer treatment would necessitate that eventually, but it's a shame to lose the health benefits of our more tranquil lifestyle here sooner than necessary. In fact, if we'll have trouble getting meds here in our luggage, it might mean this is it. Feeling pretty sad to think about it as the result of a messy regulation.

[Bonnie]

I just received this followup email from Velkys at MBE:

Good afternoon Mrs. Williams,

Thanks for your assistance, we need all our customers about this new restriction however at the moment it is only for cosmetics.

We are allowed to bring medicines, the procedure at the MINSA takes about 10 to 20 days and we must send a file with a lot of information that we must get from the customers, but at the end we bring the medicines to Boquete

It is important that expatriates do not panic thinking that they will not receive their medicines. The process takes 10 to 20 days and we need them to give us the information we asked for, the faster they give us the faster they will receive their medicines as they have noticed in the last months.

We don’t understand what is the base for this new regulation from the Government, which affects not only expats but to all the Panamanians that do purchases on line. The MBE Corporate is taking all the necessary steps to solve this situation.

I´ll keep you posted.

Have a good weekend,

 VELKYS MUNOZ

MAIL BOXES ETC. – BOQUETE

This is good news. Apparently the government is accepting medicines if the paperwork is in order supporting an exception. If I received life-saving medications by mail, though, I would be nervous that they might change their minds or that a glitch in the paperwork might result in not receiving the drugs.

Edited August 5, 2017 by Bonnie

[Jim Bondoux]

The way I read the communication, I interpret to mean that imports of products not included in the "national registry of products" are prohibited. That suggests that those products that appear on the register are to be freely imported. I Googled "registro sanitario panama" and the first hit was a website listing the approval lists, by date, of various cosmetics, etc. Clicking on an individual list will produce a document itemizing approved products by name, name of manufacturer (Neutrogena, for example), country of origin, and chemical ingredients. There is also an expiry date for the registration, which seems to be 10 years from date of approval in most cases. So if one orders one of the registered products from, say, Amazon, it should be OK to ship in. I stand to be corrected.

[Brundageba]

4 hours ago, Bonnie said:

Supplements "yes"; cosmetics "no"? I cannot imagine what the rationale for this could be.

I agree...puzzling

[Bonnie]

 

6 hours ago, Jim Bondoux said:

The way I read the communication, I interpret to mean that imports of products not included in the "national registry of products" are prohibited. That suggests that those products that appear on the register are to be freely imported. I Googled "registro sanitario panama" and the first hit was a website listing the approval lists, by date, of various cosmetics, etc. Clicking on an individual list will produce a document itemizing approved products by name, name of manufacturer (Neutrogena, for example), country of origin, and chemical ingredients. There is also an expiry date for the registration, which seems to be 10 years from date of approval in most cases. So if one orders one of the registered products from, say, Amazon, it should be OK to ship in. I stand to be corrected.

Great observation, Jim. I note, though, that the list is long, is not alphabetized, and uses the Spanish name for most medicines. Medications and medical supplies not available in Panama may be obtained through the mail, I understand, but only after one obtains doctors' prescriptions and completes certain paperwork at the office of the mail service. This is onerous in and of itself. But even the most careful planning ahead and adherence to the paperwork and prescription requirements will not obviate the possibility of errors being made which result in medications not making it through customs or being delayed for an unacceptable period of time. This is not good news for those whose health depends on particular medications on a regular basis.

[Bonnie]

I have been asked by a number of people to translate the Comunicado. I am not fluent in Spanish--and welcome any suggested changes--but below is my best effort:

In response to repeated applications for admission to the country of cosmetic products for personal use that do not have health registration in the country and that we do not know the use or purpose of, we inform you that Law 1 of 10 January 2001, on medicines and other products for human health, says the following:

ARTICLE 44: Obligation of sanitary control. Cosmetic products, medicated cosmetics, toiletries, cleaning and personal hygiene products, disinfectants and antiseptics, pesticides for domestic use and public health require a Health Registry for their importation, distribution, or sale in the territory of the Republic.

ARTICLE 40: Exceptions to the Health Registry. The health authority, through the national Department of Pharmacies and Drugs, upon request substantiated by the public health or private entity requesting and properly substantiated by a medical order, may authorize the importation of pharmaceuticals, surgical medical supplies, and required raw materials for the manufacture and marketing of medicinal products without respect to the Health Registry, in the following cases:

1     1. To address emergencies that arise from the effects of public calamities and natural disasters.

       2. When, for humanitarian reasons, it is required by a person suffering from a pathology uncommon in the country.2. 

3     3. When there is no availability of the drug in the local market to begin or continue a medical treatment.

4     4. For purposes of investigation.

 

As we see, the rule refers to the requirement and to the cases of the exceptions to the Health Registry. However, under the current standard cosmetics are not covered in the exceptions to the Health Registry.

Consequently, from this date forward, cosmetic products for personal use are prohibited from entering the country.

 

 

Edited August 6, 2017 by Bonnie

[Brundageba]

17 hours ago, Brundageba said:

I agree...puzzling

Velkys unpuzzled me a bit

[Brundageba]

19 hours ago, Lynn Garrett said:

I'm wondering if this regulation addresses meds and supplements and creams brought in luggage. We usually get three months of meds from the VA at a time, for minimal cost, sent to my sister's house in the US, then bring it back with us when we visit. Since we go every 6 months, this still requires a package sent after 3 months. Since some of the meds are for cancer and quite expensive, this might be the tipping point for a more rapid permanent move back to the US. More aggressive cancer treatment would necessitate that eventually, but it's a shame to lose the health benefits of our more tranquil lifestyle here sooner than necessary. In fact, if we'll have trouble getting meds here in our luggage, it might mean this is it. Feeling pretty sad to think about it as the result of a messy regulation.

This is a question that needs and answer.   I assume Bonnie's explanation in the post above would answer Lynn Garett's question.  That said, Lynn should have assurance that cancer medications and other meds from the VA would not get hung up for some crazy reason.  One would assume that prescription medications would pass through airport customs...but that's assuming.

Alison

Edited August 6, 2017 by Brundageba

[Moderator_02]

There is another topic here on CL that is directly related to this same subject. It is a distribution of an email by Velkys Munoz of MBE Boquete. That email was archived here on CL (which is routine procedure). The other topic has been locked in order to prevent additional replies there, and a referral to this topic was added.

We simply are trying to keep all postings about this subject matter in one coherent place.

Here is a link to the locked topic in the News Boquete archives forum:

 

[Bob]

I made a post to this topic yesterday evening, and it seemed to work okay, but today it is not present on the thread.  Here is another try:

 

I just learned of this today and did something really radical.  I read the Spanish language order (Comunicado) dated August 1, 2017.

This appears to be sort  of a tempest  in a teapot.  Whether it was caused by misreading of the Comunicado by government employees, by mail order clients or both is not clear. 

The Comunicado, as written, applies ONlY to cosmetics.  Here is a translation of the operative statement in the Comunicado and the antecedent paragraph.

As we see the standard, it refers to the requirement and to the cases of Exceptions to the sanitary registry.  However, the current norm of exceptions to sanitary registry for  cosmetics is not contemplated.
In consequence, from this date, entrance into the country of cosmetic products for personal use is prohibited.  (bold in original)

The Spanish language excerpt from  the Comunicado is attached.

There is no mention in the Comunicado order of prohibition of prescription drugs nor of vitamins and supplements.  The law, itself, is only quoted to provide context and authority for the Comunicado.  But the purpose of the Comunicado is to single out cosmetics in the law and state that they are no longer allowed to be normal exceptions to the law.

It could be that there are some super gung-ho customs agents misinterpreting the order,  or it may be that there is a rush for people to get their panties in a wad over something that will not be a problem.  I think a helpful embassy official or a helpful Panamanian government official should be able to straighten it out.

Embassy Warden Hank Landis is fluent in Spanish andvery familiar with Panamanian law and probably could handle this efficiently.

 

 

[Moderator_02]

35 minutes ago, Bob said:

I made a post to this topic yesterday evening, and it seemed to work okay, but today it is not present on the thread.  Here is another try:

snip, snip.... (remainder of posting removed for brevity).

Bob,

You have to be terribly confused. What you are asserting is literally an impossibility.

We take seriously when someone casts a dispersion about CL software or something negative directed at CL management.

For reasons unknown to CL management, you have two accounts on CL, one is your [new] "Bob" account, and it just became active last night. The other account is your "Bob G" account (note for those interested, this is possible but only by using two different email addresses; we took note of this activity at the time that new account was reviewed and approved).

Your "Bob G" has never posted in this topic. In fact, the last posting by the Bob G account was on February 6^th, and the last access of CL by that account was on July 3^rd.

Your [new] Bob account that became active last night, has only one posting so far, which is the one referenced here in which you are assenting that some prior posting has been removed. When management removes a posting (which is very rare), the software does NOT reduce your posting count. Your posting count for your new Bob account is "1". Thus there simply cannot be a missing or removed or deleted or hidden posting by you in your Bob persona.

Perhaps your confusion comes from having posted on some other website and thinking you were on CL. Just a thought.

For documentation purposes, I am attaching a screen capture of your above posting, which becomes a static point-in-time, clearly showing the Bob account as having only 1 posting as of this date and time (August 6^th, 12:32PM).

Please let CL management know how we can further assist you.

CL Management

[Bonnie]

3 hours ago, Bob said:

I made a post to this topic yesterday evening, and it seemed to work okay, but today it is not present on the thread.  Here is another try:

 

I just learned of this today and did something really radical.  I read the Spanish language order (Comunicado) dated August 1, 2017.

This appears to be sort  of a tempest  in a teapot.  Whether it was caused by misreading of the Comunicado by government employees, by mail order clients or both is not clear. 

The Comunicado, as written, applies ONlY to cosmetics.  Here is a translation of the operative statement in the Comunicado and the antecedent paragraph.

As we see the standard, it refers to the requirement and to the cases of Exceptions to the sanitary registry.  However, the current norm of exceptions to sanitary registry for  cosmetics is not contemplated.
In consequence, from this date, entrance into the country of cosmetic products for personal use is prohibited.  (bold in original)

The Spanish language excerpt from  the Comunicado is attached.

There is no mention in the Comunicado order of prohibition of prescription drugs nor of vitamins and supplements.  The law, itself, is only quoted to provide context and authority for the Comunicado.  But the purpose of the Comunicado is to single out cosmetics in the law and state that they are no longer allowed to be normal exceptions to the law.

It could be that there are some super gung-ho customs agents misinterpreting the order,  or it may be that there is a rush for people to get their panties in a wad over something that will not be a problem.  I think a helpful embassy official or a helpful Panamanian government official should be able to straighten it out.

Embassy Warden Hank Landis is fluent in Spanish andvery familiar with Panamanian law and probably could handle this efficiently.

 

 

By its own terms, the Comunicado lists the exceptions to the no medications rule. (" As we see, the rule refers to the requirement and to the cases of the exceptions to the Health Registry." Or, in Spanish, "Como vemos la norma hace referencia al requerimiento y a los casos de last excepciones al registro sanitario.") This is the first time I have seen these exceptions in writing. I concede that the main thrust of the message is the absolute prohibition on importation of cosmetics,  but the inclusion of the written exceptions for medication entry is important information.

As I have posted elsewhere in this thread, I, as one of two U.S. wardens in Boquete, have written the embassy three times since June asking that expats be provided, in writing, with a better understanding of this law and accompanying regulations. I also have asked that people address their concerns directly to the embassy in the hopes that this will spur action. Mr. Landis has been out of the country for the past few weeks, but I honestly don't know what more he could do. We have directives from the embassy that the wardens must go through the embassy when requesting information from a government agency. Wardens, however well-versed in the law, are prohibited from interpreting Panamanian law to U.S. citizens. This authority rests with the embassy whose knowledge, in turn, depends on how much information the Panamanian government is willing to provide. Chiriqui Life readers will remember that any number of questions posed to the embassy about enforcement of the immigration laws went unanswered. It's not as easy as you suggest to get clarification on issues such as this.

Edited August 6, 2017 by Bonnie

[Keith Woolford]

The issue has garnered attention in the national press. This report from Telemetro was published this afternoon following a Twitter communication from the Ministry of Health.

Cosmetics without Sanitary Registrations Cannot be Marketed in the Country:   MINSA

Ricardo Richards    6 Aug 2017 03.55pm

The Ministry of Health (MINSA)has  called on the population to avoid purchasing cosmetics for personal use with unknown origin and that do not have sanitary registration required.

A statement by the Ministry of Health pointed out that all cosmetic products, medicated cosmetics, cleaning products, personal hygiene, disinfectants, or antiseptics that enter the country under the category of "personal use", must be provided with Sanitary Registration for import, distribution and marketing in Panama.

This type of Registration is issued by the National Directorate of Pharmacies and Drugs of the Ministry of Health, according to article 44 of the Law 1 of 2010 on medicines and other products for human health.

The law also provides that the following are exempt from the requirement of registration in the following cases:

- pharmaceuticals and surgical inputs that have to be used to deal with emergency situations, in case of natural disasters.

- In the event that for humanitarian reasons are required for a patient who is suffering from a pathology not common in the country.

- For research purposes.

The communication reiterates that any product entering the country for the purpose of distribution and marketing must have a known source and current Panama Registration.

http://www.telemetro.com/nacionales/Cosmeticos-registros-sanitarios-comercializados-Minsa_0_1051395304.html

freetranslation

Edited August 6, 2017 by Keith Woolford

[Bob]

After receiving three written requests from you, has the embassy not even replied at all?  Do you think a phone call might help?

Perhaps someone who is not a warden can obtain some answers as to why such a clearly stated comuncado is being misadministered, if that is indeed the case.  The comunicado has only one operative sentence,  and that is the one prohibiting importation of cosmetics for personal use.  Apparently that is the only change being made by this comunicado to the way things have been working.  Even the opening sentence of the comunicado states that it relates  to repeated requests to bring cosmetic products  into the country.

How did the subject of the law (or regulation) about prescription drugs come up back in June?  The comunicado related to this thread is dated August 1, 2017.   Have there been other comunicados on the subject?  If not, what seems to be the basis for any change in delivery of medicines or supplements?  I see no mention of supplements in the quoted law sections.  The  usual term for them is "suplementos de salud."  "Medicamentos" does not have the same meaning.

If there has been no other comunicado in this subject area, then what triggered any recent changes in the administration of the requirerments for importing medicines for personal  use,  and what accounts  for any changes in regulations for importing supplements?  The TeleMetro artice recenty posted by Keith Woolford also has no mention of supplements.  " A statement by the Ministry of Health pointed out that all cosmetic products, medicated cosmetics, cleaning products, personal hygiene, disinfectants, or antiseptics that enter the country under the category of "personal use", must be provided with Sanitary Registration for import, distribution and marketing in Panama."   For several months there has been a flat $2.00 additional customs charge for supplements.

------------------------------------

For Bud.  I cannot explain what happened, but I wrote the post, made changes to the font size, attached a small file with an image of the last  two paragraphs of the comunicado, checked that it showed up and clicked the button at the bottom  that said "Submit Reply."   I received no error message of any kind and assumed that the post had been made.   My only confusion is about why it didn't work.   I know what I did and on which forum I did it.   I made a separate,  additional post to a  differernt forum, and some of the wording was not the same.

.