Supplying Medicines and Supplements to Panama

Panama is open to foreign registration holders: there is no nationality restriction, though you need a notarised power of attorney and a qualified pharmacist. It is also a regional trading hub, home to the Colón Free Zone.

Since January 2025, products registered by WHO-listed authorities can be recognised in 10 business days, and there is an abbreviated route for products from high-standard countries. The social security fund, CSS, launched US$77.9 million of emergency purchases in 2026 to address shortages.

Panama at a glance

How to supply medicines to Panama

1. Set up your representation. Give a notarised power of attorney to your Panamanian representative and appoint a qualified pharmacist.
2. Pick the route. Registration by a WHO-listed authority opens the 10-day recognition route. Products from high-standard countries can use the abbreviated route.
3. Prepare the dossier. A CTD dossier with a CoPP and the plant's GMP evidence.
4. Supply. Private distributors and pharmacies, or tenders by MINSA and the CSS, which can run joint emergency purchases open to international bidders.

Exemptions exist for emergencies, humanitarian reasons, research and critical shortages. See named-patient and special import and government tender supply.

Supplements

Vitamin and dietary supplements with therapeutic properties are registered with the National Directorate of Pharmacy and Drugs. Check how your product will be classified before you print labels. We help brands get supplements made under their own label by GMP-certified contract manufacturers: see nutraceutical private label.

What people in Panama search for

Semrush data from October 2026 shows that people in Panama search most for vitamin D and protein (about 4,400 searches a month each), then vitamins and vitamin B12 (2,900 each). Among medicines, loratadine, metronidazole, omeprazole, diclofenac and ciprofloxacin lead.

Panamanians search in Spanish: “vitamina D” and “proteínas” get about 4,400 searches a month each, “vitamina B12” and “creatina” 2,900 each, “vitamina C” and “vitamina D3” 1,900 each, and “colágeno hidrolizado” 1,600 (Semrush, October 2026). Medicines are typed by their Spanish generic name, such as “loratadina” (about 6,600 a month), “metronidazol” (5,760), “omeprazol” (5,470), “diclofenaco” (5,120) and “ciprofloxacina” (4,080).

How importers and distributors in Panama search

Across seven Central American and Caribbean markets combined, Panama among them, Google Keyword Planner shows “droguería” between 1,000 and 10,000 monthly searches, and “distribuidora de medicamentos”, “laboratorio farmacéutico” and “principios activos” between 100 and 1,000.

Originator brands searched by name include Daflon (diosmin and hesperidin), Forxiga (dapagliflozin), Concor (bisoprolol) and Januvia (sitagliptin). Brand names are trademarks of their owners and are used only to identify the medicine.

Supplements we can help you make

The most searched medicines include loratadine (loratadina, about 6,600 a month), metronidazole, omeprazole, diclofenac, ciprofloxacin, fluconazole and rosuvastatin. Some examples we list:

Documents to ask your supplier for

• A Certificate of a Pharmaceutical Product (CoPP) in WHO format.
• The plant's GMP evidence, such as a WHO-GMP, EU-GMP or PIC/S certificate, plus any inspection by your regulator.
• The registration dossier (CTD or ACTD), with bioequivalence data for generics where required.
• Stability data for hot climates.
• A Certificate of Analysis for every batch.

Not sure a supplier is genuine? Read how to verify a pharmaceutical supplier. For the neighbouring markets, see our Latin America and Caribbean import guide.

Frequently asked questions