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MoH approves 62 new drugs and medical devices

Registration of 31 new medical device-producing companies was discussed — 20 new companies were approved; and a conditional approval was given to 11 companies.

Dubai — The Ministry of Health’s Drug Registration Higher Committee has approved 62 new drugs to treat diseases such as cancer, diabetes, rheumatoid, high blood pressure and organ transplant operations.

The approval was given during a meeting chaired by Dr Amin Hussein Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for Health Policies and Licensing and Acting Chairman of the committee, and attended by representatives from Abu Dhabi Health Authority, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai Healthcare City and national universities.

The approval for registration of three other drugs were postponed.

Dr Amiri said more than half of these approved drugs are for treating hepatitis C and produced by one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in Europe. The drugs have been also approved by the European Union. Another innovative drug produced by Gilead US is also used for the treatment of hepatitis C.

He said the committee denied extension for a patent application by a US-based drugs company due to the expiration of the patent that is granted to the company internationally.

The committee also decided to ban sodium cyclamate, a sweetening pharmaceutical item, from all drug markets in the UAE due to its dangerous side effects on liver and cancer causing effects. During the meeting, registration of 31 new medical device-producing companies was discussed — 20 new companies were approved; and a conditional approval was given to 11 companies.

The UAE issues one of the largest directories in the world for registered medical devices in order to regulate and organise the trading of these products since a number of international medical devices come from unreliable sources and are below approved global specifications.

asmaalizain@khaleejtime.com