[Brian]

At one time even iherb ltd were experiencing some trouble from our customs with the importation of b12 Methylcobalamin.
I have read here that some members were getting it through so i thought i would find out the facts, so i asked them myself, here is the gospel from Australian Customs.
................................

Thank you for your email regarding your wish to import Methylcobalamin from the United States for you personal use. I am from the Drug Safety and Evaluation Branch of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). The Drug Safety and Evaluation Branch is responsible for prescription medicines. In response to your enquiry, I offer you the following information.

Australian residents and visitors to Australia can legally import certain therapeutic goods for personal use under the personal import exemption that exists under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 and its associated regulations. This exemption does not allow the personal importation of either substances or drugs prohibited by Customs legislation, or, injectable drugs that contain material of human or animal origin (except insulin), unless an import permit has been obtained.

Methylcobalamin does not appear in the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 and so will not require an import permit. Please note that it is illegal to supply goods imported under the personal import scheme exemption to persons outside the importer's immediate family. Under the personal import scheme exemption, you may import three months supply per import and, no more than fifteen months supply per twelve-month period. Three months supply is calculated from the maximum daily dose recommended by the manufacturer.

[ConsiderThis]

Oh, that's very interesting.

I'll copy that and send it to each of the two fellows who responded to me from VitaCost.

thanks.

[Lara]

I get really suspicious when there's a product that we can't buy here in our pharmacies or health food stores. I tend to wonder... why???

Brian, do you have any idea or have you found any information as to why this particular supplement is not easily available here?

[ConsiderThis]

Hi Lara,

"Suspicious" -- in what way? of what?

I'm curious.

[Lara]

Answering my own question here.
I just found out something interesting.

Brian, do you remember the "Pan Pharmaceuticals" debacle? It was in 2003.
There was a huge product recall and then the TGA suspended their manufacturing licence. Someone else ended up buying the company. Sphere Healthcare. Anyway, I found references online that Pan Pharmaceuticals used to actually manufacture methyl B12 here. This is going back come years now.

[ConsiderThis]

Are you saying that what they were manufacturing was in some way lethal or something?

Do you have some links?

[Lara]

Originally Posted by ConsiderThis

Are you saying that what they were manufacturing was in some way lethal or something?

Do you have some links?

No, I didn't say anything like that. It was a general comment regarding closure of said company rather than that their methyl B12 was lethal or contaminated. I was just saying that the product used to apparently be manufactured onshore here by a company that no longer exists.

I forget what their problem was at the time but had nothing to do with the specific supplement we're talking about here as far as I recall although they were shut down due to a problem with manufacturing standards.

To answer the question about my being "suspicious". What I meant was basically that I am curious or I wonder about the reasons it's a product that's so difficult to get. At one time I had terrible trouble getting selenium for years and years here as well. I guess I did the same with SAMe as well. It just makes me suspicious because it makes no sense to have so many people needing to import it from overseas if there's such a big market here already.

[Brian]

Originally Posted by Lara

Answering my own question here.
I just found out something interesting.

Brian, do you remember the "Pan Pharmaceuticals" debacle? It was in 2003.
There was a huge product recall and then the TGA suspended their manufacturing licence. Someone else ended up buying the company. Sphere Healthcare. Anyway, I found references online that Pan Pharmaceuticals used to actually manufacture methyl B12 here. This is going back come years now.

Hi Lara, yep i do recall that now, actually there was a couple of places around Vic that were selling B12 Methyl but by the time i wanted to get it, i found out they closed up shop, must have been something to do with it, i suppose. it has really got me buggered what the big deal is, its only a vitamin after all.

The weird bit about it, you can order Methylcobalamin from a lab in Kew, Melbourne [ injectable form only ] but only catch is that it has to be sent to a doctors premises, just gets a bit to expensive, when you can get 2 shots of Hydroxocobalamin for $ 4.80 on a pension or $12.00 without a script at any pharmacy.

I asked the managing director of Blackmores why don't they make Methylcobalamin supplements instead of Cynnno, he said that its our laws and they are not allowed to make it and agreed that the Methylcobalamin was a better option for the customers and couldn't understand why either, but their not going to push for it whilst they are selling plenty of the Cynno anyway, i suppose, we could use a methyl donor to convert it ourselves, like SamE or TMG i think its called.

I am bit curious about your posting name " Lara ", there is a town across the bay from me called Lara, any connection there ?
all the best
Brian

[Lara]

Hi again Brian,
The town of Lara is from an aboriginal word as far as I know. There's also Yulara and Larapinta and some others. Seems to mean something different in each indigenous language.
This is my real name and it was my grandmother's name and she was Irish and her parents named her after someone in a Russian opera. LOL
You live in a very pretty part of the world there. Far too cold for me though. Grew up in the tropics and now live in Hinterland just over the Qld/NSW border. Paradise really but then I'm biased. LOL

I don't really understand the deal with the manufacture of this type of B12 either, but I keep my eyes out for information to give me clues. If I ever find any I'll let you know. I think the person you spoke with from Blackmores was probably right.

I'm not fond of credit cards either. I ended up getting a debit visa card just so I could order things I needed. You just have to be careful and use secure sites.

Have a good evening there!

[Brian]

Originally Posted by Lara

Hi again Brian,
The town of Lara is from an aboriginal word as far as I know. There's also Yulara and Larapinta and some others. Seems to mean something different in each indigenous language.
This is my real name and it was my grandmother's name and she was Irish and her parents named her after someone in a Russian opera. LOL
You live in a very pretty part of the world there. Far too cold for me though. Grew up in the tropics and now live in Hinterland just over the Qld/NSW border. Paradise really but then I'm biased. LOL

I don't really understand the deal with the manufacture of this type of B12 either, but I keep my eyes out for information to give me clues. If I ever find any I'll let you know. I think the person you spoke with from Blackmores was probably right.

I'm not fond of credit cards either. I ended up getting a debit visa card just so I could order things I needed. You just have to be careful and use secure sites.

Have a good evening there!

Hi Lara, its a nice name anyway i too come from Irish/ English decent.
You live in a beautiful place too, some of the oldies here call it " heavens waiting room " it gets real cold for about 7 weeks in Winter, the rest i can handle real easy, after living & working from Melbourne for most of my life, there is only one way i will be leaving here , that's horizontal
Thanks for your help anyway.
take care
Brian