The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention has actually effectively achieved its goal of lowering the rates of nearly 80 per cent of innovative pharmaceutical drugs through six initiatives that were launched because 2011 as part of its efforts to reduce the rates of nearly all innovative medicines by mid-2016. By developing strategic partnerships with worldwide pharmaceutical business that have actually cut down the costs of their medicines, the Ministry has actually had the ability to lower the rates of medicine in the UAE to become less or less like the rates at the GCC level.

The announcement came through a declaration by Dr. Amin Hussein Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention Public Health Policy and Licensing Sector and Vice Chairman of the Medical Licensing Committee. The declaration enhances the efforts of various government institutions to enhance the country's health sector in addition to the eagerness of the Federal National Council to promote it.

Support 'Em irati Industries' in Manufacturing Innovative Medicines

Dr. Al Amiri specified that the Ministry has carried out efforts to encourage the worldwide pharmaceutical companies to manufacture pharmaceutical products in partnership with regional factories as a start to decreasing the expense of shipping. This, in turn, contributes in lowering of drug costs significantly along with extending the advantage of drug production technology to local business. The production of ingenious medications locally will enable costing of these medicines to be at par with the rates in other Arab nations such as Turkey, Algeria and Egypt.

Strategic Partnerships with International Pharmaceutical Companies

Dr. Al Amiri also praised the effective and positive role played by global pharmaceutical companies in response to the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention initiatives to reduce the prices of medicines during the previous phase of the application of six initiatives as follows:

During the first initiative on June 26, 2011, prices of 565 innovative drug were reduced between 5 and 55 per cent

Effective from November 13, 2011, prices of 115 unprecedented drug were reduced between 5 and 35 per cent in the second initiative

Effective from March 6, 2013 by the decision of the Council of Ministers, the third initiative reduced the prices 6,632 drugs class between 1 and 40 per cent

Fourth initiative, effective from November 11, 2013, reduced prices of 192 drugs between 1 and 60 per cent

Fifth initiative lowered the prices of 282 drugs between 1 and Xx per cent effective from 09/28/2013

Sixth initiative effective from January 1, 2016 cut down prices of 142 pharmaceutical items between 1 and 50 per cent

Positive Cooperation with Pharmaceutical Companies Benefitted Patients, Especially Those with Chronic Diseases

Dr. Al Amiri also noted that this fruitful cooperation resulted in many positives, including benefits to patients, especially those with chronic, viral, neurological and heart diseases as well as various types of cancers, where they are required to take drugs either a lifetime or for long periods. Other benefits are as follows:

Support patients, especially people with chronic diseases, including diabetes, blood pressure, and high cholesterol as well as viral and other diseases where patient needs to use drugs permanently and continuously

Support the strategic partnership between the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention and global pharmaceutical companies

Reduce the prices of all varieties of medicines to reach the lowest price in the region

Encourage investment in the private health sector through the creation of strategic partnerships that are built on trust, communication, transparency and community support

Deep and direct impact in ensuring the provision of high standards and quality of pharmaceutical services at affordable prices within reach of all the UAE community