Table of contents:
- Is it permissible to buy drugs from abroad for my own use?
- What if you buy medicine from abroad while traveling and then take it back to Indonesia?
Sometimes, to treat a certain condition, we need a very specific type or brand of medicine. However, not all drugs are available in Indonesia. And even if there is, sometimes the purchase price of drugs from abroad is still much cheaper than at the nearest pharmacy. Some drugs that require a doctor's prescription in Indonesia are also sold freely in other countries, so you don't have to bother going back and forth to the doctor to renew your prescription.
Not only online shopping sites, but online pharmacies such as evermeds.com, asiapharm.net, unitedpharmacies-uk.md, or brandmedicines.com are favorite destinations for many people to get instant access to the medicines they need.
Is it permissible to buy drugs from abroad for my own use?
Based on the Regulation of the Head of BPOM No. 27 Articles 2 and 3 of 2013 concerning Supervision of the Importation of Drugs and Food into Indonesian Territory, there are a number of requirements that must be met by imported medicinal and food products in order to pass into Indonesia, namely the product must have an official distribution permit from BPOM, comply with statutory provisions in the import sector, and obtain approval from the Head of BPOM in the form of an Import Certificate (SKI).
This regulation was promulgated because most drugs from other countries that are available for purchase by individuals often do not meet the requirements or have not been approved by the BPOM for distribution and widespread use in Indonesia. For example, many countries in the European Union, Asia and Latin America allow the sale of cough medicines containing dextromethorphan, but dextromethorphan is a morphine class drug that is categorized as a narcotic in Indonesia. So sending these drugs into the country is tantamount to the act of smuggling drugs, even in small quantities for personal use.
However, the Import Certificate (SKI) from the Head of BPOM is limited only to state agencies and / or private companies that have a license to distribute imported products. Therefore, illegal for individuals to import drugs (medical drugs, strong drugs, herbal medicines, health supplements) to Indonesia via commercial shopping sites or online pharmacies for your own use if you do not have a EDAR PERMISSION on behalf of the Consignee / Goods Recipient through Delivery Services (Post / PJT)
All activities related to control of the traffic of goods entering or leaving Indonesian territory are regulated by the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, including food and medicine. Thus, if you are unable to show any official certification from BPOM or related agencies, you may be subject to administrative sanctions in the form of a written warning, or your imported drugs will be detained and / or destroyed. Apart from administrative sanctions, you may also be subject to criminal sanctions. Regarding sanctions for violations of drug and food imports regulated in Article 24 of the Regulation of the Head of the Drug and Food Control Agency of the Republic of Indonesia Number 27 of 2013.
The provisions of these prohibitions and restrictions also cover the activity of importing the drugs represented, for example when the goods are sent using the Post (EMS / USPS) or other shipping services (DHL, TNT, FedEx, UPS, Aramex etc.), or buying drugs abroad on behalf of relatives / friends who live in the country and then sent to your home in Indonesia.
What if you buy medicine from abroad while traveling and then take it back to Indonesia?
Provisions for prohibitions and restrictions on the entry of imported goods actually also include cases where you bring your own medicine purchased overseas. This is necessary to provide protection to the wider community from dangers caused by misuse, improper use, and / or that do not meet the quality, benefit and safety requirements of the imported goods.
However, even though the practice of buying drugs from abroad is technically an illegal act that could plunge you into legal channels, the Indonesian Ministry of Trade issued a dispensation in the form of Minister of Industry and Trade Decree No. 314 / Kp / VIII / 1974, which allows consumers to import legal drugs by sea / air for personal use if it can be proven by a doctor's prescription.
When the situation and conditions require you to buy medicine from abroad and bring it back to Indonesia, you are obliged to hand it over copy doctor's certificate and / or official prescription (remember: not included bill purchase) attaching the patient's clear name, dose, dose frequency, and correct drug name when conducting CIQ checks (Customs and Excise, Immigration, Quarantine Office) at the arrival terminal. If not, the drugs will be destroyed, because customs officials will not be able to know the benefits of these drugs without proof of a doctor's prescription.
However, general drug formulations (e.g. generic multivitamin supplements or medicines that are also sold in Indonesia but in different versions / variants) are usually less problematic as long as they can be easily identified by airport officials and tailored to the traveler's stated needs. alone.
