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29 March 2024

UAE cuts 67 medicine prices by up to 40%

Medication drugs displayed in a Dubai pharmacy. (FILE)

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International pharmaceutical firms Pfizer and Merck Sharp & Dhome have reduced prices of 67 drugs between five to 40 per cent, said a press statement on Tuesday.

Dr. Hanif Hassan Ali Al Qassim, UAE Minister of Health, signed a ministerial decision No. 290 of 2011to approve the drugs price list beginning of July in all the private pharmacies in the UAE.

It is noted that Al Qassim called in several occasions for activating the societal partnerships between the Ministry of Health and pharmaceutical authorities in the UAE to provide healthcare and treatment services for the residents at reasonable prices which suit their purchasing and living standards.

Dr. Salem Al Darmaki, Acting Undersecretary at the Ministry of Health, stated that the current strategy of the Ministry of health aims for implementing societal partnerships and raise the standards of medical and treatment services with reasonable costs without affecting the economies of the service providers.

Al Darmaki said Pfizer and Merck Sharp and Dhome responded to calls for reducing the rates of 67 drug items ranging between five to 40 per cent by the manufacturing companies and the drugs rates will be reduced by 20 per cent.

Dr. Amin Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for Medical Practices and Licences at the Ministry of Health held several meetings with the pharmaceutical companies to activate their partnership with the Ministry of health in reducing the drugs prices to suit the actual cost of their products.

He also explained that most drugs that have been reduced are used in the treatment of blood pressure, cholestrol, prostate hypertrophy, epilepsy, depression, schizophrenia and other drugs consisting of antibiotics, steroids, antifungals and analgesics.

The Assistant Undersecretary for Medical Practices and Licences added that the positive step of the international pharmaceutical companies comes as part of societal activation with the health authorities to raise the standards of health services in the UAE.

It is noted that the Ministry of Health formed a committee to be chaired by Dr. Amin Al Amiri and a number of employees in the pharmaceutical drugs and registration department to study the prices of drugs in the UAE. Over the past 18 months, the team made accurate comparisons between 6 countries of which: Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman and Lebanon. The study revealed that high rates of drugs in the UAE are more than the other countries.

Al Amiri added that after that about 20 international pharmaceutical companies are expected to reduce their prices as well.

Al Qassim also inaugurated new start-of-the-art building of the regional office of Pfizer in Dubai Media City.

The inauguration was attended by Dr. Salem, Dr. Amin, Richard Olsen, US Ambassador to the UAE, and a number healthcare leaders in the UAE.