i need import help, please.

CatGirl says on May 28, 2008, 19:16:

This is a difficult one.....you know technology...But I can bump you up to the top in hopes someone else prolly have an answer:)

Love and Time: the only two things that cannot be bought, but only spent

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Gator says on May 28, 2008, 19:50:

You might take a look at DIAN'S site in as much as they regulate importations as well as other things. Since EPSs and IPSs were created the demand took off.

www.dian.gov.co Unless your Spanish is up to it, this is the site from hell. You might try calling them in Bogotá

Most Colombian end-users of medical equipment prefer state-of-the-art products and technologies. One of my wife's nieces is married to a man that manages Johnson and Johnson's Colombia operation. He said this may help:

Resolution No. 0434, issued by the Ministry of Social Protection on March 27, 2001.

The import authorization of used medical equipment is restricted to that classified as Class I (Low risk biomedical equipment and devices) or Class IIA (Medium risk biomedical equipment and devices) in attachment 2 of the above mentioned resolution (See list below).


The authorization is subject to:


The issuance of a favorable Technical Concept issued by the Ministry of Social Protection


The approval of the end-user’s justification. As justification, the end-user must submit a project description, specifying the benefits, services to be rendered, budget, costs, financing, and project viability in the medium term.


Submission of a document issued by the manufacturer or its representative, certifying that the equipment was manufactured less than 4 years before the import date and the current optimal performance of the equipment and its security system.


The manufacturer’s or importer’s capacity to provide after sales services on the equipment. The manufacturer/importer must have the proper human, physical, material, and technological resources to provide the service and to be responsible for maintaining guaranteed equipment’s performance standards without endangering operators’ and patients’ health and safety.

Medical equipment and devices classified as Class I - Low Risk:


All non-invasive products for direct contact with injured skin that are used as mechanical barriers for the compression or absorption of exudates.


Invasive products for body orifices, except invasive surgery products that are not for connection to an active sanitary product, if used temporarily.


Invasive products for body orifices, except invasive surgery products that are not for connection to an active medical device, if used in the oral cavity down to the pharynx, in the outer ear up to tympanum, or in the nasal cavity.


All invasive surgery type products for temporary use that are reusable surgical instruments.


Medical equipment and devices classified as Class IIA - Medium Risk:


Non-invasive products for the conduction or storage of blood, fluids or body tissues, liquids or gases for perfusion, administration, or introduction in the body are included in this classification if (a) If they can be connected to an active sanitary product classified under class II or above, or (b) if they are to be used for the storage or channeling of blood or other fluids, or for the storage of organs, parts of organs, or body tissues.


Non-invasive products used for modifying the biological or chemical composition of blood or other body fluids, or of other liquids to be introduced in the body when the treatment consists of gas or heath filtration, centrifugation, or exchange.


Non-invasive products that are not included in Class I and IIB, including the products used mainly to act in the wound microenvironment.


Invasive products for body orifices, except invasive-surgical-type products that are not to be used connected to an active sanitary product, if they are for short term use.


Invasive products for the body orifices, except invasive-surgical-type products that are not to be used connected to an active sanitary product, if they are used in the oral cavity down to the pharynx, in the external ear up to the tympanum, or in the nasal cavity, and which cannot be absorbed by the mucous membrane.


Invasive products for body orifices, except surgical-type invasive products that are to be used connected to an active sanitary product of the class IIA or any superior class.


Invasive surgical-type products for temporary use will be classified under class IIA, unless otherwise specified.


Invasive surgical-type products to be used for a short term will be classified under class IIA except for the exemptions listed in the definition of the other classes.


Implants and invasive surgical-type products for prolonged use to be implanted inside the teeth.


Active therapeutic products for energy administration or exchange will be included in class IIA unless they are considered under other classes.


Active products for diagnosis will be included in class IIA if: (a) they are to be used for administration of energy to be absorbed by the human body. Products whose purpose is to illuminate the patient’s organism in the visible spectrum are excluded. (b) they are to be used for the creation of an image of radio-active pharmaceuticals distributed in vivo. (c) they are to be used to allow a direct diagnosis or the surveillance of vital physiological processes.


Non active products to be used specifically for registering diagnostic radiographic images.


Active products to be used for the administration or extraction of medications, body liquids or other substances to or from the organism will be included in Class IIA. If the procedure is performed in a potentially dangerous manner, considering the nature of the substances, the part of the body and the method of application, they will be included in Class IIB.

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

0 funny, 0 helpful.

slguy says on May 28, 2008, 19:58:

huh, gator?

;) only kidding. thanks a million! HUGE help!

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Gator says on May 28, 2008, 20:07:

Slguy, EXACTLY what I said to Jorgé when he gave me the information.

Good luck

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

0 funny, 0 helpful.

slguy says on May 28, 2008, 20:07:

friggin edit timed out in about 3 minutes.

just fyi...none of the equipment exceeds 3, much less 4 years in age. much of it is still current model-available.

i'm not trying to dump stone age technology. ;)

i'll get my supplier to sort out these classifications.

again - MUCH thanks! (is there any legal stuff you DON'T know about? ;) )

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

0 funny, 0 helpful.

miamimike says on May 29, 2008, 06:23:

SLGuy, your supplier in all probability is moving Equipment that came off lease here in the USA. Perfectly good equipment in most cases and it will accomplish the objective as good as New equipment (in 99.9% of the cases). If one was to look at many small town Hospitals/clinics here in the USA, you would see equipment older then what you are trying to sell, yet still in perfect working order. Medical equipment in most cases ages gracefully as it isn't hammered like a used car may be and there fore surives for decades with a little care. . There is Huge depreciation in Medical Equipment so some good money can be made in used Med Sales. It does help you if you have had some actual medical experience with the product line you are trying to sell. If you are selling to a foreign market, nothing helps more then being able to explain the function&Advantage in the prospective buyers native tongue. It doesn't hurt to have a college level Microbiology, Anatomy&Physiology course under your belt to enchance your pitch to a buyer, foreign or otherwise. Not to mention, it helps one to interpret the fine points of the law you see in Gator's post. If you are pitching Pharmaceuticals,an entry level Pharmacology course doesn't hurt either. Nothing is more frustrating then listening to a seller's pitch and after asking him/her a question, getting a canned answer that doesn't answer your questions. And believe me, a Buyer will now if you clinically know your product,,,I've been to a fair share of Hospitals and clinics in Bogota and some of the Med Equipment is more then a few years old and not at all what you would term "State of the Art". Nice to have the latest but in many cases for a small hospital or clinic, its not what you can afford or really need. This idea "got to have the latest" has helped to push medical costs through the roof here in the US. As a comparison example of new vs used,a few years back, I saw a Supplier here in Miami selling ALL the equipment a Dentist would need to open shop--drill, chair, xray machine, Instruments and a slew of other items--it was tagged certified and sold for $7500 out the door--cash. New, over $100,00 easily. Just an example of some the bargains to be had for those with csh in hand,,,Some of those clauses in Gator's post seem awfully restrictive to a small Hospital/clinic,,,

Avatar Legend: Bush "If any of you Reporters are wondering, it was a Size 10"

0 funny, 0 helpful.

slguy says on May 29, 2008, 07:05:

mike, thanks for the input.

it would not occur to me to become involved unless i had a local partner...in this case it's a doctor. ;) the technical stuff won't be my responsibility, thank god.

the vast majority of the machines involved have been either remanufacturd or reconditioned by factory-authorized service companies. we won't be selling at 7.5 cents on the dollar, but will provide "as new" equipment at substantial savngs. otherwise, both the legal and moral liability would scare me off...

again, thanks!

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Robert Jorge says on May 29, 2008, 07:13:

How much does a good used vacuum evacuator cost?

He who farts in church, sits in his own pew.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

slguy says on May 29, 2008, 07:14:

including pistol-grip ears, or not?

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Robert Jorge says on May 29, 2008, 07:38:

Jajajajajajaja

Actually, I worked years ago as a courier in a major hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana. One of the devices I had to pick up on a daily basis (it seemed) and take to outpatient surgery was a vacuum evacuator. I finally asked an RN buddy what it was for. It took him a while, but he eventually was able to tell me. Without explaining in graphic detail, it usually involves: "spores, smoke, HPV" (anal warts), and guys who are switch hitters unbeknownst to their wives waiting in the lobby.

He who farts in church, sits in his own pew.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Gator says on May 29, 2008, 07:45:

For what it's worth, years ago I had a good friend in Tallahassee, Florida, who made a ton, and I mean a TON of money, exporting "used" medical equipment to Bolivia, El Salvador and Honduras. At that time our used equipment was state of the art in those countries.

I remember one instance when he bid on and bought two mobile tractor trailers loaded with equipment and supplies from the state. These were ones that were stockpiled back in the big civil defense days. Best I remember he paid less than a nickle on the dollar.

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

0 funny, 0 helpful.

miamimike says on May 29, 2008, 11:12:

SLGuy-that comlete Dental Office went for that price because an Investor was unloading it due to the fact a partner had backed out of a deal in which he had invested $7500 also. The New Dental Office never came to a final deal so this other partner sold the equipment for $7500 just to get his 1/2 of the money out of the deal. The point is, if you have ready cash in hand, there can be some great deals to be had.Great idea to work with a local Doctor who speaks the medical langauge as well as that of the country.

Avatar Legend: Bush "If any of you Reporters are wondering, it was a Size 10"

0 funny, 0 helpful.

brasi says on Aug 24, 2008, 11:12:

wuhan sitaili medical treatment apparatus development limited company is a manufacturing and trading company. It is the biggest in domestic market and systematically produce serial products of receive ware, receive urine device, false anus receive ware. Our company produce once usage, twice usage making pockets and this is the patent in China. Presently for the self-developed interllectual property products by our company, there are: the series of the trouser type receive ware and receive urine device, the making pockets ,series of false anus receive ware and man-made anus receivers,the serial pillows good for the neck and clam the nerves.Our product range has wide marketing prospect on which your concern is welcome
EMAIL:cinre520 at 163.com MOBILE : 8615874010211

0 funny, 0 helpful.