Certain biological materials are regulated by federal agencies for international importation and interstate transfer. Permits may be required from these agencies. Exempt materials must meet specific criteria and be accompanied by shipping documentation for US Customs and Border Patrol review to avoid confiscation or delays. Import review will provide agency-specific templates based on the materials.
The Office of Sponsored Programs requests ancillary review of Material Transfer Agreements of biological materials, which includes animals, viruses and vectors, cell lines, plasmids, and bacterial agents.
If an MTA is not necessary, import review may be required to determine necessary permitting requirements on purchases. This applies to international and some interstate shipments. In order to alert our research community about possible permit or shipping documentation for items in PantherExpress, some materials now trigger an informational pop up. Additionally, import review may be requested by global couriers such as Mohawk and BioTRANS. Email researchsecurity@pitt.edu for more information.
Import Review will determine the permits required and guide the investigator to the appropriate permitting tools. As the permits are done through online systems, the investigator must apply for the permits themselves.
Please note that all permits MUST be under the receiving investigators name and should match the MTA, if applicable.
Hand carried items via passenger travel DO require appropriate permits and also notification to Customs and Border Protection for inspection. This applies to materials of declared “zero value” such as research materials. CBP does not recommend hand carry if other shipping methods are available.
https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/importing-biological-materials-united-states
See: section on Importing Biological Materials by Passenger Travel
The following is not an exhaustive list of materials that may require documentation or permits. If you have any questions please contact researchsecurity@pitt.edu.
If you are exporting biological materials to another country, export regulations may apply, please review the ORSTC's guidance on the Shipments website.