What Is Parallel Import of Medicines?
Parallel import occurs when a medicine that is fully licensed and commercially available in Country A is imported into Country B — where it may not be locally registered, may be in short supply, or may be priced differently — through official regulatory channels. Unlike counterfeit or grey-market imports, parallel import is a legitimate, regulated activity recognised and permitted by health authorities in many jurisdictions worldwide.
Parallel import is commonly used to:
- Address drug shortages where a medicine is temporarily or chronically unavailable in the destination market
- Provide access to medicines pending local regulatory registration
- Improve affordability by sourcing from lower-cost licensed markets
- Supply rare and specialty medicines where local market volumes are insufficient for full manufacturer registration
GNH India holds the necessary import-export licences, CDSCO approvals, and regulatory expertise to facilitate parallel import compliantly across 180+ countries. We source exclusively from the originating manufacturer or their authorised distributor, maintaining full chain-of-custody documentation throughout.
When Is Parallel Import Used?
Parallel import is an established tool used by healthcare systems, hospitals, and licensed distributors to resolve a wide range of medicine access challenges:
- Drug shortages — when a medicine is unavailable or back-ordered in the destination country, parallel import from a market with available stock resolves the gap quickly and compliantly
- Regulatory delays — when a medicine is approved in its origin country but still undergoing registration in the destination market, parallel import provides a compliant bridging mechanism
- Price access — importing from a licensed market where the medicine is available at a lower price improves patient and institutional affordability
- Rare and specialty medicines — where small patient populations make full local registration commercially unviable for manufacturers, parallel import offers a sustainable supply pathway
- Hospital formulary needs — for critical medicines not commercially stocked locally, parallel import enables hospitals to maintain formulary continuity
- Orphan and biosimilar medicines — medicines with limited market registrations are frequently supplied via parallel import from primary approval markets
Our Parallel Import Process
GNH India manages every stage of the parallel import process, from initial regulatory assessment to final delivery, ensuring full compliance at every step.
Eligibility Assessment:
We verify that the medicine is fully licensed in its country of origin and determine the applicable regulatory import pathway in the destination country, including any permits, licences, or health authority notifications required.
Regulatory Documentation:
Our regulatory team prepares all required documentation including import permits, certificates of origin, free sale certificates (FSC), manufacturer authorisation letters, and country-specific health authority submissions.
Manufacturer Authorisation:
We secure supply directly from the originating manufacturer or their authorised distributor, with full batch traceability, certificate of analysis, and chain-of-custody documentation. No grey-market or unverified sources are used.
Customs & Compliance Clearance:
Our logistics and compliance teams manage all import declarations, customs classification, excise documentation, and local regulatory compliance. Where required, we coordinate relabelling or language-specific packaging under regulatory oversight.
Secure Delivery:
GDP-compliant delivery to the hospital pharmacy, licensed distributor, or designated healthcare facility, with full temperature control for cold-chain products and real-time shipment tracking throughout transit.
Why Choose GNH India for Parallel Import?
- Licensed pharmaceutical importer with IEC, CDSCO, and FDA Maharashtra approvals for cross-border medicine supply.
- 20+ years of international pharmaceutical supply experience across regulated and semi-regulated markets.
- Regulatory expertise in EU, UK, GCC, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa markets with knowledge of country-specific parallel import frameworks.
- Full documentation support including certificates of origin, free sale certificates, manufacturer authorisation, and import permit management.
- GDP-compliant cold-chain and ambient logistics for all product categories, with validated packaging and real-time temperature monitoring.
- Transparent pricing with no hidden charges — clear quotation from enquiry to delivery.
- ISO 9001:2015 and WHO-GSDP certified operations ensuring quality and compliance at every stage of the supply chain.
Regulatory recognitions
Quality You Can Trust
Our internationally recognized certifications underscore our commitment to safety, quality, and excellence in pharmaceutical distribution.
