Takehome:
China grants a grace period for the registration of FSMPs ending on Jan. 1, 2018.
On Jun. 29, 2016, China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) announced a one-and-a-half-year grace period for the registration obligations for FSMP manufacturers under “Administrative Measures for Registration of Foods for Special Medical Purpose” which will take effect soon from Jul. 1, 2016.
CFDA finalized “Administrative Measures for Registration of Foods for Special Medical Purpose” in Mar. 2016 (see CL news report on Mar. 11, 2016), and also drafted corresponding supplementary requirements for FSMP registration (see CL news report on Apr. 19, 2016). Due to the lengthy registration procedure, a grace period is granted by CFDA to ensure the normal supply of FSMPs in China.
Before Jan. 1, 2018, FSMPs manufactured within China or imported to China without a registration certificate could be sold until the product expiry date. From Jan. 1, 2018, all FSMPs should be registered with CFDA prior to the entry into Chinese market.