Sourcing coagulation reagents from China

Zero duty on prepared coagulation reagents

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 3822 covers prepared diagnostic or laboratory reagents, including kits, and certified reference materials. Prepared coagulation diagnostic reagents fall within the other diagnostic reagents line, 3822 19 00 90, subject to confirmation for the actual product. The supplied snapshot shows 0% duty throughout the heading for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions.

For 3822 90 00 00, the tariff attaches veterinary control and a restriction concerning ozone-depleting substances. Official guidance says reagents made from animal blood products follow blood-product import conditions. Ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable veterinary documents and whether the particular Chinese product is admissible. Importing ozone-depleting substances into Great Britain requires a licence; ask the broker to confirm how the tariff restriction applies to the formulation.

The table shows different assays sharing a commodity line, rather than separate tariff categories. Give your broker the formulation, intended use and packaging to confirm the commodity code, particularly for separately supplied controls or reference materials. See the wider diagnostic and laboratory reagents guide for the rest of the heading.

Specify the assay and analyser together

Name the assay: prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen or thrombin time. Specify the analyser model, clot-detection method, sample type, liquid or freeze-dried presentation, pack contents and reconstitution instructions. Ask for performance data using that analyser and method, rather than accepting an unsupported compatibility statement.

Agree the calibration materials, control materials, batch acceptance criteria, unopened shelf life, stability after opening or reconstitution, and storage and transport conditions. For prothrombin time reagents, ask how the supplier establishes reagent sensitivity and supports reporting on your analyser.

For diagnostic sale in Great Britain, check UKCA or accepted CE marking, MHRA registration and the Chinese manufacturer's UK Responsible Person before ordering. For research-use-only stock, confirm with MHRA the appropriate labelling and sales claims before marketing it for research or diagnosis. Use testing and certification support to review the product documents.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 500 prothrombin time reagent kits; illustrative order, not a quotation under 3822 19 00 90, invoiced at £5,000 free on board, with £300 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,300. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £5,300, so it is £1,060. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the assay, catalogue reference, analyser compatibility, bottle presentation and component list to the approved specification.

Batch evidence: match certificates of analysis, calibration information and control results to the supplied lots; arrange laboratory acceptance checks on your intended analyser.

Labels and documents: check batch numbers, expiry dates, storage conditions, English instructions, conformity marking and the agreed registration documents.

Transport and receipt: review temperature logger records, seals, leaks and bottle damage; check remaining shelf life and transfer stock to the specified storage conditions. Include these checks in the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

A reagent can look correct but give unacceptable results on the buyer's analyser. Common purchasing problems include unsupported compatibility claims, changed formulations between sample and production, missing batch calibration information and controls that do not match the assay. Agree laboratory acceptance criteria before approving the production lot.

Temperature excursions, damaged seals and short remaining shelf life can leave stock unusable. A generic certificate or research-use-only label does not establish suitability for diagnostic sale. Review the actual product documents and receipt records before releasing the batch to customers.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.