UAE Health Minister opens PABME 2009

HE Humaid Al Qatami spoke at the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Middle East (PABME) congress and exhibition which he officially opened yesterday in Dubai.

"The challenges we face in this area are the quality of the industry, and this includes the quality of our human resources available,"

he said.

"The people working in this industry need high levels of training, and I think with training we need to see international practices adopted that will allow us to see solutions developed."

Al Qatami believes PABME plays an active role in this.

"I think this exhibition is very important," he said. "The pharmaceutical industry will add value to the health service in this country and in the region. The economy will benefit also. By providing access to the right level of training this will be achieved."

Providing quality pharmaceutical products to the public is a priority for the health ministries across the region. The problem of counterfeit drugs is relevant in the Middle East without being a major cause for concern. For Al Qatami it is less about fake drugs and more about regulating the market. Legislation has an important part to play.

"I think part of developing the quality of this area is making rules and standing by them," he said.

Dr. Mohammed Abu Elkhair, Head, Pharma/Medicine and Medical Products Regulation Section, Abu Dhabi Health Authority (HAAD) admitted that for some, dealing in fake medicines can be lucrative.

"In the UAE we don't see too much, but counterfeit medicines are definitely available. It will always be there. There is big money to be made from dealing in counterfeit medicines and there will always be people who try to exploit this, even if it is at the expense of someone's life," he said. "We've come up with a strategy and we're looking at different technologies in the fight against counterfeit medicine."

The newly formed Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is also aware of the need to maintain a watch over the trade in counterfeit medicines. Ibrahim Alshowaier, Consultant, SFDA indicated that a proactive approach should yield the best results.

"Counterfeit drugs are a big problem all over the world. It's not big in Saudi Arabia, but this doesn't mean we're immune from the problem. We're working closely with pharmaceutical companies, the customs people and the police to tackle this issue and maintain vigilance," he explained.

"We're actively taking measures to block the traffic of counterfeit drugs. For example we advise customs and the police about what to specifically look for, and we'll have SFDA personnel operating at border controls and working with the customs officials there. We see this as preventative, and the best way to proceed, rather than targeting the counterfeits once they're already here."

The sale of counterfeit drugs is a relatively small issue for the industry in the Middle East, but will be considered worth discussing by many of the delegates attending PABME 2009.

However, the real focus of the congress will be on the provision of quality training, and understanding the latest regulations and policies covering the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors across the region.

PABME 2009 is on now and will run until Wednesday 22 April at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre. ((ENDS))