International

[Anonymous]

Guys,

I was wondering what it took to be an international distributor of medical devices. I have gathered some interest from a couple of surgeons abroad and wanted to know how it worked to sell internationally. Can those surgeons just buy direct from the manufacturer and I get a commission from what they order (somewhat of a local stateside model) or do I need to be involved an actually purchase the implants and sell them to the surgeon or hospitals abroad? Most companies want 50% when they receive an order and the other 50% before the products leave the US. I kind of want to understand the business model first before getting involved. Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

Way too much trouble to deal with in any way, shape, or form. Each country will have it's own rules and many 'international' distributors, other than the big guys like Cardinal, et al, specialize in only one country.
Payoffs; multiple layers of bureaucracy; and constant government turnover make selling anything in S. America a total nightmare. Europe is so riddled with red tape and importation tax laws... forget it.
I've had to deal with this from a corporate standpoint, and I can't think of any way an individual would be able to even come close to being successful.

 

[Anonymous]

Way too much trouble to deal with in any way, shape, or form. Each country will have it's own rules and many 'international' distributors, other than the big guys like Cardinal, et al, specialize in only one country.
Payoffs; multiple layers of bureaucracy; and constant government turnover make selling anything in S. America a total nightmare. Europe is so riddled with red tape and importation tax laws... forget it.
I've had to deal with this from a corporate standpoint, and I can't think of any way an individual would be able to even come close to being successful.

Thanks for the response. Some of the guys that I spoke to indicated that as long as the products were FDA approved and pricing was 'good', that it shouldnt be a problem. Obviously, their hospital systems work differently from ours in terms of insurance paying for items vs the patient paying out of pocket. In some cases, it does seem like a hassle shipping implants out of the country, but sometimes it seems like the volume would make it worth it, especially in highly populated areas like India and China, etc.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the response. Some of the guys that I spoke to indicated that as long as the products were FDA approved and pricing was 'good', that it shouldnt be a problem. Obviously, their hospital systems work differently from ours in terms of insurance paying for items vs the patient paying out of pocket. In some cases, it does seem like a hassle shipping implants out of the country, but sometimes it seems like the volume would make it worth it, especially in highly populated areas like India and China, etc.

FDA means zilch overseas. CE marks needed for anything in the EU. South America countries have their own as well.
Plus, dealing with SA vendors and clients is a lesson in crooked sales methods. You will literally find a hand outstretched at every corner. Especially the 'inspectors' for incoming products through their version of the FDA.