Thai exporters urged to tap US market amid shortages of medical products

Somdet Susomboon, director-general of the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), said that the USFDA had recently announced a list of 20 products that are at risk of shortage in the country due to the Covid-19 crisis.
“Thailand still has capability of manufacturing some of these products, such as surgical gowns, gloves, ventilators and sterile swabs, therefore it is a great chance for Thai companies to export these products to the US,” he said.
Kwannapha Phiewnin, director of DITP Los Angelis Office, added that Thai manufacturers should study the USFDA’s regulations and products standard guidance by visiting http://www.fda.gov/medicaldevices, to make sure that their products meet the required standard before exporting.
“Fortunately during the Covid-19 situation, the USFDA has relaxed many of the regulations to facilitate imports, so qualified Thai entrepreneurs should find no problem in penetrating the US market,” she said.

The USFDA’s list:
1. Examination gowns
2. Surgical apparels
3. Surgical gowns
4. Latex, non-powdered patient examination gloves
5. Vinyl patient examination gloves
6. Polymer, non-powdered patient examination gloves
7. Specialty, non-powdered patient examination gloves
8. Surgical respirators
9. Non-surgical isolation gowns
10. Clinical sample concentrators
11. Transport culture medium
12. Sterile swabs
13. Microbiological specimen collection and transport devices
14. Instrumentation for clinical multiplex test systems
15. Real time nucleic acid amplification system
16. General purpose reagents for in vitro diagnostic tests
17. Microbial nucleic acid storage and stabilisation devices
18. Non-continuous ventilators
19. Continuous ventilator, facility use
20. Continuous ventilator, home use
For more information, contact DITP hotline 1169 or visit www.ditp.go.th