United States
Department of
Agriculture

Animal and
Plant Health
Inspection
Service

Veterinary Services
National Center For Import And Export
Import/Export Animals
4700 River Road, Unit 40
Riverdale, MD 20737-1231

GUIDELINES FOR IMPORTATION #1101

Including:

tissues, blood, extracts, proteins, DNA.

Not including:

cell cultures, tissues in culture, hybridomas, and their products.
(Refer to Guideline #1120 for cell/tissue cultures and their products.  Refer to Guideline #1100 for human pharmaceuticals and human vaccines).

Introduction:

Material derived from any animal is potentially subject to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations and must be cleared by Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (DHS, CBP) Agricultural Specialists at the U.S. port of arrival before entry into the United States is authorized.  A USDA import permit is required for animal material that may pose a risk of introducing exotic animal diseases into the United States .  However, material from humans and non-human primates that: (a) are not produced in tissue culture, (b) are not actual zoonotic (affects humans and animals) pathogens, and (c) are not potential zoonotic pathogens may enter the country without USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS) restrictions.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has jurisdiction over human and non-human primate material.  The CDC can be contacted by telephoning: (404) 639-3534, (404) 639-3311, (404) 311-3435 or (404) 639-4537.

Procedures:

A USDA permit will not be required for the importation of material from humans and non-human primates that: (a) are not produced in tissue culture, (b) are not actual zoonotic (affects humans and animals) pathogens, and (c) are not potential zoonotic pathogens.  In order to facilitate correct identification of the shipment and to ensure timely delivery, USDA, AHPIS, VS recommends that the following documentation accompany each shipment:

1.  A detailed and accurate description of the material, with species identification.

2.  A written statement confirming that the material was not obtained from humans or

     non-human primates that have been inoculated with or exposed to any livestock* or

     poultry disease agent exotic to the United States.

3.  A written statement confirming that the material is not of tissue culture origin.

4.  A written statement confirming that the material is not zoonotic.

USDA, APHIS, VS recommends that this document be supplied on foreign producer/shipper letterhead, with the letterhead containing the physical address of the foreign producer/shipper.  USDA, APHIS, VS further recommends that the document, written in a clear and concise manner, accompany each shipment, and be presented as a separate document for review by the DHS, CBP Agricultural Specialists at the U.S. port of arrival.  We do not recommend that the foreign producer/shipper place this document inside the shipping containers.

We further recommend that you provide a copy of this guideline to your foreign producer/shipper.

If the human or non-human primate material to be imported cannot meet these criteria, then a USDA import permit may be required.  Permit applications may be obtained several ways:

1. On-line at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/permits/
2. By writing to:
   USDA, APHIS, VS
   National Center for Import and Export
   4700 River Road, Unit 40
   Riverdale, MD 20737
   (301) 851-3300 telephone
   (301) 734-8226 fax

VS - Safeguarding Animal Health
Phone (301) 851-3300, FAX (301) 734-6402

http://www.aphis.usda.gov
An Equal Opportunity Employer