Case study: Sally wants to buy a medical laser for her beauty clinic in Brisbane
Sally runs a small beauty clinic in Brisbane and would like to buy an intense pulse light (IPL) laser system to use on clients for hair removal.
Sally finds a cheaper model online from an international wholesaler and has it shipped to Australia.
Because the laser system is not for personal use it is seized at the border and destroyed, leaving Sally thousands of dollars out of pocket.
To legally import an IPL machine for commercial use, Sally would need to become the legal sponsor of that machine or buy one from a company that has already included the machine on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.
Case study: Sue wants to buy a CPAP machine online from Asia
Sue snores like a trooper and her friend has suggested she purchase a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine from an online wholesaler in Asia. Sue wonders if it is illegal to import a medical device from overseas.
Because Sue plans to use the CPAP machine for her own personal use, importation of this medical device is legal. However, purchasing from an unknown source that may or may not meet quality standards can be risky.