3006.93.50.00 - Containing ingredients having nutritional value, in which starch or other foodstuff predominates by weight

This HTS category, 3006.93.50.00, specifically covers placebos and blinded clinical trial kits that are put up in measured doses and contain ingredients of nutritional value where starch or other foodstuffs predominate by weight. These products are designed for use in recognized clinical trials and are formulated to be inert or indistinguishable from the active drug being tested, while containing substantial nutritional components. The key classification criterion here is the predominance of starch or other foodstuffs by weight within the overall composition.

This specific classification distinguishes itself from sibling categories based on its unique compositional requirement. Unlike 3006.93.10.00, which is packaged with medicinal preparations, or 3006.93.20.00, which contains over 10 percent sugar by dry weight, this category focuses on the nutritional predominance of starchy or other food-based ingredients. Furthermore, it differs from 3006.93.60.00 which applies to liquid formulations for oral intake and 3006.93.80.00, which covers placebos and clinical trial kits containing chemicals other than medicaments.

As a leaf node within the HTS structure, 3006.93.50.00 does not have further subdivisions. Therefore, precise classification within this category relies heavily on verifying the presence of nutritional ingredients, confirming the predominance of starch or other foodstuffs by weight, and ensuring the product is intended for use as a placebo or within a recognized clinical trial setting in measured doses. Examples might include placebo tablets or capsules designed to mimic the appearance and texture of an active drug but primarily composed of ingredients like lactose, starch, or cellulose, where these components constitute the majority of the product's weight.