Sami Abdel Raouf (Dubai)
The Ministry of Health and Social Protection confirmed that the pharmaceutical industry has achieved remarkable growth and an important expansion, expecting the number of pharmaceutical factories to reach 30 in 2023, after it reached 24 factories at the end of last year.
The ministry said, in response to Al-Ittihad’s queries, that “the number of scientific offices affiliated with international pharmaceutical companies is expected to reach 95 scientific offices during 2022, which is a strong indication of the boom in pharmaceutical manufacturing in the UAE, which supports the country’s efforts within global competitiveness indicators in the area.” Pharmacoeconomics.
In detail, she pointed out that the pharmaceutical industry achieved a growth rate over the past three years, as the number of pharmaceutical factories reached 18 factories in 2019. Then, the number increased to 19 factories in 2020, bringing the number to 24 factories per year. the end of last year. She pointed out that the number of scientific offices reached 91, representing international companies that manufacture medicines in the world (2021).
She stated that the total number of drugs currently registered and approved to be traded in the local market amounted to 4,371 traditional and biological products, which are pharmaceutical preparations registered with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, noting , that almost 300 products were recently registered.
She pointed out that requests for the registration of medicines and medical products are subject to high standards according to the best international standards, as the product is given a deadline to submit the registration request for a certain period, and in case electronic registration systems are used, the request is included in the fast track for registration of innovative medicinal products and rare medicinal products.
She explained that the registration file is accepted by the electronic total technical file system e-CTD, and the registration files (safety + quality + pricing) submitted to the ministry are evaluated by the higher committee on drug policies for a certain period.
The ministry said: “The product is priced by being guided by the price of the country of origin, as well as the price of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and according to the applicable price control in the country. The registration requests will be decided for approval by the members within a short period from the evaluation of registration file.
She added: “After approving the registration of the drug with the approval of the majority of the members, the competent department prepares a draft ministerial decision for the pricing approved by the Supreme Committee for Drug Policy and submits it to the Minister of Health and Community Protection or his representative, for approval, and finally the registration and price certificate for the pharmaceutical product is issued.”
She stated that it is also possible to submit files for the registration of medicines that have the status of leadership or the first of their kind, or that are included in the list of rare medicines, or have been placed within the urgent-fast track before acquisition the final approval from one of the approved international bodies.
She stated that the registration is part of the urgent process in the evaluation. She stated that registration files are accepted based on a letter containing a positive opinion from one of the accredited international bodies, provided that a pharmaceutical product certificate will be provided later. She explained that the price of the product is based on the price proposed by the holder of the marketing right in the event that the price of the country of origin is temporarily unavailable, and requires the approval of the majority members of the Supreme Committee on Narcotics. Product registration policies.
The Ministry of Health and Social Protection stated that a symposium was held in June last year with all the country’s health facilities and representatives of the country’s health authorities on health advertisements and proposals to change the current system.
And announced the existence of a tendency to also hold a meeting and an extended meeting with private hospitals and health warehouses during this year and listen to their proposals. She revealed that the development of electronic government services has begun as the system has been launched since October 2021, with the completion of the project to develop all electronic services, facilitate and shorten them and integrate the services provided in 2023. And on the recent measures taken by the Ministry of Health and Community Protection to support professional practitioners and health professions dealing with her, she reported that the overall guidance for health professionals at state level was updated in 2021 to keep pace with global developments and updates. Meetings were also held with customers to listen to their observations, opinions and ideas in relation to service development, including a meeting with a group of pharmacies on 26 May last year. Customers” in coordination with the Customer Happiness Center last November, to serve the evaluation of health professional practitioners.