Dubai: The UAE has been chosen to be the regional hub of pharmaceutical companies that will positively impact supply, distribution, and pricing of drugs to make them more favourable to patients.
The Ministry of Health recently met about 100 directors of international drugs companies, representatives of local factories and authorised drug agents in the UAE to discuss international cooperation on medicinal sales.
During the meeting, local, regional and international drug companies selected the UAE as a regional hub in the Mediterranean and North Africa. They promised to establish offices in the country with around 100 to 500 employees, Dr Ameen Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health and Licensing and Vice-Chairman of the Drug Pricing and Registration Higher Committee, said.
“The companies will establish a logistic hub in a number of airports and free zones in the region especially the UAE,” Dr Al Amiri said.
“Such a selection is a [source of] pride for all of us and reveals the confidence of regional and international companies in establishing these offices,” he said, noting that this could not have been achieved without the continuous support of the wise leadership of the UAE government.
Dr Al Amiri also lauded the positive response of international drugs companies to the initiatives of the health ministry to reduce the prices of drugs sold in the country.
The ministry has managed to achieve price cuts for 7,504 innovative and resembled drugs in four initiatives from 2011 until 2013. Price reductions ranged from one to 60 per cent.
This mutual cooperation has benefited all patients, especially those suffering from chronic, viral and neurological and cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.
Dr Al Amiri said the recent meeting targeted cutting the prices of 422 innovative drug items produced in 41 drug-producing companies in Europe, USA and Australia. The new price cuts will be implemented on January 1 next year after official approvals by all parties concerned.
The company representatives expressed their support to the ministry’s initiative during the meeting. They also lauded the ministry’s open-door policy, transparency, and openness to dialogue.
