The GCC Regulatory Affairs Pharma Summit 2023, held in Dubai on March 6-7, brought together over 350 experts in the pharmaceutical industry and regulatory affairs, as well as representatives from the public and private sectors. The event was focused on discussing the latest updates in pharmaceutical regulations and changes in the pharmaceutical supply chain in the GCC region. Senior officials from the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi, the Gulf Health Council in Saudi Arabia, the National Health Regulatory Authority in Bahrain, and the Ministry of Health in Oman shared their respective regulatory authority updates.
One of the main topics of discussion was the ongoing efforts to unify pharma regulations and drug approval guidelines at the GCC level. Dr. Hajed Bin Hajed, Deputy General Director of the Gulf Health Council, announced that pharmaceutical companies will be dealing with a single Gulf market by 2025, as the Gulf Unified Market Plan is being finalized in cooperation with the drug registration committees of member states. In addition to regulatory updates, the Summit also highlighted innovations and exemplary practices in various areas relating to drug trials and approvals, such as Data Integrity and Digitalization, Track and Trace and Serialization, as well as Intellectual Property Protection. The event also featured the announcement of the GCC Pharma Regulatory Awards 2023.
Overall, the GCC pharmaceutical market presents a US$20-billion opportunity through to 2025, with healthcare spending in the GCC estimated to reach US$99.6 billion in 2023. The event provided valuable networking opportunities, including roundtable sessions with health regulators in the GCC and the Jordan Food & Drug Authority. The GCC Regulatory Affairs Pharma Summit is the foremost strategic meeting place for the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors in the GCC, and it continues to grow exponentially.