Buying rules
Restricted Products
Some healthcare products can only be bought by licensed businesses, or need permits to store, ship or import. We mark these listings with a dark green Restricted badge so buyers and suppliers see it before they talk.
Controlled drug
Narcotic, psychotropic, precursor or specially regulated medicine. Buying, selling, storing and moving it needs special licences and permits.
Buyers usually need: A valid controlled-drug licence or permit for your country (for example NDPS in India or DEA registration in the US), plus import/export permits for cross-border orders.
Prescription (Rx)
Prescription-only medicine, vaccine or biological product in most markets. Suppliers can sell it only to licensed buyers.
Buyers usually need: A drug licence (pharmacy, wholesale, hospital or veterinary) and, for imports, product registration in the destination country.
Radiation licence
Equipment that produces ionising radiation, such as X-ray, CT or C-arm systems.
Buyers usually need: A radiation-safety licence or registration before purchase, installation or import (for example AERB approval in India), and a qualified installer.
Registered buyers only
Ultrasound and imaging machines that can show foetal sex. In India these may be sold only to clinics registered under the PC-PNDT Act.
Buyers usually need: Proof of registration of your clinic or hospital under the PC-PNDT Act in India, or the equivalent rule in your country. Sellers must keep records of every sale.
Hazardous goods
Compressed gas, flammable, corrosive or toxic material that counts as dangerous goods for storage and transport.
Buyers usually need: Safe storage that meets local fire and gas rules, and a carrier licensed for dangerous goods. Ask the supplier for the safety data sheet (SDS).
Metal/mineral Ayurvedic
Rasa, bhasma or pishti medicine made with metals or minerals. Several importing countries restrict or ban these.
Buyers usually need: Heavy-metal test reports (lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium) from an approved lab, and confirmation that the destination country allows the product.
Used / refurbished
Pre-owned medical equipment. Many countries limit imports of used devices; India needs prior government permission for used critical-care equipment.
Buyers usually need: Import permission where required, a refurbishment certificate, service history and a warranty from the seller.
How the flags work
We set the flag from the product name and its category. A refurbished CT scanner, for example, gets both the radiation and the used-equipment flag. If a supplier marks a medicine as OTC in its technical details, we drop the prescription flag.
The flag is a reminder, not a legal ruling. The same product can be over the counter in one country and prescription-only in another. Check with your national regulator before you buy or ship.
HealthKares does not sell products or arrange licences. Deals are agreed directly between buyer and supplier, and the supplier is responsible for checking the buyer's licence before supplying.
Think a product is flagged wrongly, or missing a flag? Tell us and we will look at it.