Antibiotics; streptomycins and their derivatives; salts thereof

HS code 294120 covers the production and trade of antibiotics, specifically streptomycins and their derivatives, as well as their salts. Antibiotics are a crucial class of pharmaceuticals that play a vital role in modern medicine, helping to treat and prevent bacterial infections. The streptomycin group of antibiotics, first discovered in the 1940s, have been widely used to combat a range of bacterial diseases, including tuberculosis, plague, and certain types of urinary tract infections. As a key component of the global pharmaceutical industry, the production and distribution of these specialized medicines have significant economic and public health implications.

The production of streptomycin and its derivatives typically involves a multi-step fermentation process. This begins with the cultivation of the Streptomyces bacteria, which are the natural producers of streptomycin. The bacteria are grown in a carefully controlled environment, often in large-scale bioreactors, where they are fed a nutrient-rich medium to stimulate the production of the desired antibiotic compounds. After the fermentation process, the antibiotics are extracted, purified, and formulated into various pharmaceutical products, such as injectable solutions, tablets, or powders.

The main inputs required for the production of streptomycin and related antibiotics include the Streptomyces bacterial cultures, growth media containing essential nutrients, and specialized fermentation equipment. Additionally, the production process may require various chemical reagents and solvents for the extraction and purification stages. Skilled personnel, such as microbiologists, chemists, and pharmaceutical technicians, are also a critical input for this industry.

The primary output of HS code 294120 is streptomycin and its derivatives, which are then used as active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in a variety of antibiotic medications. These antibiotics may be further processed and formulated into finished drug products, which are then distributed and consumed by the healthcare sector, including hospitals, clinics, and individual patients. Other industries that may consume the output of this code include 300410 Medicaments containing penicillins or derivatives thereof, with a penicillanic acid structure, or streptomycins or their derivatives, 300420 Medicaments containing other antibiotics, and 300450 Other medicaments containing vitamins or other products of heading 2936, as these antibiotics can be combined with other active ingredients to create more complex pharmaceutical formulations.