Parallel import is the instrument by which every patient, pharmacy, healthcare facility, distributor or public insurance fund can feel the positive effect of the common European market and the competition it encourages to achieve wider access to more affordable medicines.

Parallel import means that a medicinal product for which the Bulgarian Drug Agency has already permitted a marketing authorization is imported into Bulgaria through wholesalers who are licensed to perform parallel import.

BestaMed is a licensed wholesaler and Marketing Authorization holder for parallel import. We are a Certified Partner that meets the requirements of Good Distributor Practice. We are an Organization with a Quality Management System certified by RINA under ISO 9001: 2015.

Parallel import has been introduced in Bulgaria since 2011 and started with 4 medicinal products. Up to date, thanks to the experience gained by the importers, among them leader is BestaMed, on the territory of Bulgaria 114 medicinal products are subject to parallel importation. The potential for development of parallel import in Bulgaria is huge to reaching its levels in Western European countries such as Germany, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, etc. is an achievable and real goal that the entire team of BestaMed is dedicated to.

Benefits for the patients and the health system

1. Competitive lower prices for already established medicinal products
2. Flexible conditions and competitive opportunities for retailers
3. Additional guarantee of origin and safety of medicines
4. Possibility of import of already registered medicinal products in case of production, regulatory and other types of shortages or deficiencies
5. Possibility of import of de-registered medicinal products withdrawn from Bulgaria for non-pharmacological reasons (legal regulation is required)

Drugs and medical devices from parallel import have an additional guarantee of origin, quality and safety of the medicinal product

Origin

• Parallel import drugs are original, high quality and safe, at a lower price, imported from countries of the European Economic Area.
• Each parallel imported medicine is of guaranteed origin proven and verified not only by one but by two executive drug agencies - one in the country from which it is purchased and by BDA in Bulgaria which is issuing permission for this medicine after very strict verification procedure.

Safety

• The presence of a sticker shows that very strict internal control of the supply chain has been applied, according to the requirements of Good Distribution Practice (GDP)
• The sticker is a sign that the medicine is from a batch that is certified for Bulgaria by a GMP-licensed manufacturing company (GMP)
• The label on the primary packaging of the product is a mandatory attribute according to the regulations in Bulgaria. It not only does not break the primary packaging but also prevents the medicine from mechanical damage to the integrity of the packaging