Drug prices in GCC countries to be standardised
The Gulf Central Committee for Drug Registration has revealed a standardised price reduction for 2,432 out of 4,000 drugs registered in GCC countries.
Price reductions range from 5 to 60 per cent. These drugs are used to treat a variety of illnesses, including heart diseases, diabetes and oncological diseases. They also include antibiotics and painkillers.
The committee is currently in talks with pharmaceutical companies that manufacture 968 other drugs over price reductions by the end of December.
Dr Amin Hussein Al Ameeri, assistant undersecretary for Public Health and Licensing at the Ministry of Health, told Al Ittihad, the Arabic-language sister paper of The National, that the Gulf Central Committee will be discussing the standardisation of 600 drugs by the end of this year, and negotiating with pharmaceutical companies to reduce their prices for the Gulf area.
The new pricing system will become effective during the first quarter of 2015.
Source: The National
Published: 16 Nov 2014
Category: Features, Pharmaceuticals
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