3005 - Wadding, gauze, bandages and similar articles (for example, dressings, adhesive plasters, poultices), impregnated or coated with pharmaceutical substances or put up in forms or packings for retail sale for medical, surgical, dental or veterinary purposes:

This HTS category, 3005, encompasses a range of medical and surgical supplies designed for application to the body. It specifically includes wadding, gauze, bandages, and similar articles such as dressings, adhesive plasters, and poultices. A key characteristic of these items is that they are either impregnated or coated with pharmaceutical substances, or they are presented in forms or packings intended for direct retail sale for medical, surgical, dental, or veterinary use. The emphasis is on the finished product ready for therapeutic application.

Distinguishing HTS 3005 from its siblings at the Chapter 30 level, it is important to note that while other categories within Chapter 30 may cover raw pharmaceutical substances or preparations in bulk, this heading focuses on the finished articles that incorporate these substances or are specifically packaged for end-user medical purposes. For example, while a pharmaceutical substance itself would fall under a different heading, the gauze impregnated with that substance for wound treatment falls here.

Within HTS 3005, two primary subcategories exist to further refine classification. HTS 3005.10 addresses adhesive dressings and other articles that feature an adhesive layer, such as bandages with built-in adhesion or specialized wound covers. The remaining products that fit the general description but do not possess an adhesive layer are classified under HTS 3005.90, the "Other" category. This division allows for a more precise accounting of the diverse range of medical articles covered by this heading.