FDA review at U.S. ports of entry covers a wide range of products affecting public health. These include human and animal foods, pharmaceuticals, biologics, medical devices, cosmetics, tobacco products, and radiation-emitting electronics. Items such as seafood, vaccines, surgical tools, makeup, e-cigarettes, and X-ray machines must meet FDA requirements for safety, labeling, registration, and, in some cases, premarket approval.
This marks a significant policy shift, rescinding multiple prior guidance documents that had exempted certain low-value shipments from FDA screening.
Key changes include:
⢠All FDA-regulated products, regardless of value or quantity, must now be submitted for FDA review.
⢠All prior communications that allowed exemptions for low-value shipmentsâincluding CSMS #94-001260 and CSMS #17-000388âare rescinded.
⢠FDA-regulated de minimis shipments must include Partner Government Agency (PGA) data.
Yikes, I feel like this is a new development in the ever-confusing tariff scheme. Not really sure how that squares up with the cuts at FDA.
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This is not good news for our overseas pharma purchases. Seizures might increase, and confiscations with no recourse. Couple this with the promised 200% tariffs on pharmaceutical products, and as the meme goes âwinter is comingâ. Many of us have been warning about these dangers, and urging to stock up on the meds you want. I personally have a goal of a 4-5 year supply. I think Iâm fine on some, but on others Iâm only at the 3-4 year level. I was hoping to complete my haul in the fall, and then sit tight. I might be slightly late on some meds if the shipments really stop, perhaps I can fly to Turkey if itâs really dire, and top up there.
Anyhow, I wonder if some of these restrictions might be lifted with a backlash from seniors who are the biggest group buying meds overseas, and these are the more likely voters. But thatâs probably clutching at straws, and there will be no reversal.
Itâs funny, because I was just telling my wife that I made a mistake buying a mini-fridge for my meds, because itâs full and Iâve run out of room. I shouldâve bought a regular size fridge for the meds and put it in the basement. Looks like now the mini fridge is just about enough - though stuffed to the gills, you can hardly stick a needle in there. Iâve been thinking of getting another fridge for my supplements given that I live in Southern California and it gets hot. Having learned my lesson, I will now buy a full size fridge for the supplements.
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That means that people wonât get access here to cheap Ozempic from China (2027) and Canada (2026), nor Mazdutide, another dual GLP1 agonist that is from China slated to appear in 2027, I think. I also buy some supplies from Canada, and China, I can forget about those. Another win for Big Medicine this week.
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I donât think it will make any difference. The intercept rate is probably going to be the same or lower (every level of employment in every govât or related org seems to be getting slashed these days⌠unless it involves blocking or kicking out people with different / darker colored skin). they arenât going to be doing more enforcement from what it seems, âŚ
and how often are the $ value amounts on packages from India even close to accurate (within an order of magnitude)?
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I hope youâre right. I wondered about the staffing issue myself. As to declared value, well, thatâs the point - no de minimus so it doesnât matter anyway whatever they put down there, if the package gets seized it doesnât matter, and if not, you can put down whatever low $ you want, nobody is checking, because if they do, youâre out of luck regardless. In the end, itâs the luck of the draw as always. Like I never tire of saying: itâs better to be lucky than good.
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amuser
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Please place an order and let us know what happens.
What is the relevance?
I am assuming that the value of the package must meet some minimum threshold before it triggers seizure in order to collect tariffs.
I am not too worried. I have ~40 shipments from India, and only one was seized.
Itâs just the cost of doing business with India. If they seized 50% of my orders, I would still be ahead. In addition to the cost of the meds, you have to factor in the cost of seeing a doctor and the hassle of getting him to prescribe something you really want to try.
Originally, I tried to obtain rapamycin from U.S. doctors, but the cost of the visit and the fact that they only prescribed relatively small amounts and required repeat appointments with the doctor led me to India.
I have had three shipments from India since the tariffs came into effect. My greed likely led to the seizure of the shipment last year. I ordered an amount that made the package size more conspicuous to save a little money on fees and shipping costs.
Now I am only ordering more reasonable amounts.
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