(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) This was agreed during a recently held meeting between the ministry and the directors of international drugs companies local representatives and authorised agents in the UAE.
The Ministry of Health has announced that prices of 442 innovative drugs for chronic viral and neuro diseases will be slashed soon. The reduction applicable from January 2015 is the fifth initiative by the ministry to reduce prices of drugs being produced by 41 drug companies based in Europe USA and Australia.
This was agreed during a recently held meeting between the ministry and the directors of international drugs companies local representatives and authorised agents in the UAE.
Dr Amin Hussein Al Amiri Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health and Licensing and Vice-Chairman of the Drug Pricing and Registration Higher Committee said the ministry held a meeting with local regional and international drug companies to launch the fifth initiative.
“The meeting has also selected the UAE as a regional hub in the Mediterranean and North Africa where these companies will establish offices to accommodate between 100-500 employees” he said. “Patients either need permanent or prolonged drug treatments especially those suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes blood pressure high cholesterol as well as viral diseases.”
With these reductions he said the prices of innovative medicines in the UAE is the least in the region.
The ministry reduced prices of medicines four times recently: In June 2011 when prices of 565 innovative drugs were reduced between 5-55 per cent; in November 2011 when prices of 115 drugs were reduced between 5-35 per cent; in March 2013 when prices of 6632 medicines were reduced between 1-40 per cent based on the Cabinet’s decision; and in November 2013 when prices of 192 innovative drugs were reduced between 1-60 per cent.
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