The Supreme Council of Health yesterday held a meeting with representatives of pharmaceutical companies and registered importers of medicines over the recently introduced law to regulate the drug market. The meeting, presided over by the Pharmacy and Drug Control Department executive director Dr Aisha Ibrahim al-Ansari, discussed the latest development in the wake of the new law coming into force. Dr al-Ansari explained in details the provisions of the new law and its purpose as well as the role of pharmaceutical companies and agents in the next stage. She said that the law came at the directives of HE the SCH Secretary-General and the Minister of Public Health Abdullah bin Khalid al-Qahtani and as part of a study conducted to identify the need for the domestic market of medicines, as well as the reasons for shortages and unavailability of some drugs. Dr al-Ansari added that the main aim of the new law was to create a competitive market and ensure large supply of medicines and pharmaceutical products in order to help beat down drug prices. The meeting also provided opportunities for attendees to seek clarifications concerning unclear details about the new law. According to Dr al-Ansari, the executive statute of the new regulations and standards for the import of medicines will be issued soon. She disclosed that a new electronic system to be implemented in the near future, is being prepared to provide “follow-up to the series of medicine” by placing the number code specific to each package of medicine as well as process of transfer and drug delivery from the source to the consumer. The official added that the electronic system would also tell if a drug is genuine or fake.

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