Venezuela Import Regulations for Pre-Owned (Used and Refurbished) Medical Devices - Customs Forum

**admin** · 07-24-2011, 23:52 PM

General Market Condition: No Restrictions, but Government Agencies do not Buy
Are there special restrictions or tariffs that apply to used equipment that do not apply to new medical equipment?
There are no restrictions or special tariffs for used medical equipment. The same import duties apply for new and for used equipment.
Can public health institutions buy used or refurbished medical devices?
There are no prohibitions but as a rule the Venezuelan Government agencies will not buy used or refurbished equipment of any type.
Overall hospitals in Venezuela are not managed efficiently according to industry analysts. Therefore it has been difficult to build up a reserve fund for future technology upgrades and acquisitions. The same doctors work in both the public and the private sectors. However, in the public sector the government does not provide adequate tools and equipment, nor the proper infrastructure. This has been the situation over the past twenty years. In Caracas over the past ten years private hospitals were unable to make direct investments as they were greatly affected by the recession. Nevertheless, they managed to form strategic alliances with the medical distributors, which resulted in many private hospitals having the latest technology. Unfortunately this kind of initiative has not taken place in the rest of Venezuela.
Demand of medical equipment and supplies will be determined mainly by importers' purchasing power, product price and the rate of growth in the market of used equipment. Local statistics indicate that imports of refurbished equipment have grown approximately 60 percent over the past two years. This is the result of the continuous currency devaluation, the limited access to import new equipment, increased health costs and patient's diminishing purchasing power. The demand for US refurbished equipment is becoming an alternative source for distributors and end users, as long as technical support and service are available.
There is a need in the public health sector for high technology equipment, such as tomographers, ophthalmologic and optical instruments, cobalt pumps (nuclear medicine), magnetic resonance chambers, X-ray apparatus, laboratory and hematology testing equipment, infusion and transfusion equipment, cancer diagnostic and therapy equipment, hemodialysis equipment, electrocardiographs, electroencephalographs, linear accelerators, equipment for heart disease, apparatus for intensive care units and dental equipment.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Iceland Import Regulations for Pre-Owned (Used and Refurbished) Medical Devices	admin	Europe	0	07-23-2011 17:33 PM
Hungary Import Regulations for Pre-Owned (Used and Refurbished) Medical Devices	admin	Europe	0	07-23-2011 17:32 PM
Greece Import Regulations for Pre-Owned (Used and Refurbished) Medical Devices	admin	Europe	0	07-23-2011 17:30 PM
Ghana Import Regulations for Pre-Owned (Used and Refurbished) Medical Devices	admin	Other Regions	0	07-23-2011 17:28 PM
Australia Import Regulations for Pre-Owned (Used and Refurbished) Medical Devices	admin	Other Regions	0	07-22-2011 00:21 AM