The United Arab Emirates has introduced a first of its kind regulatory change aimed at breaking up medicine monopolies in the pharmaceutical sector a move that health experts say could help lower drug prices and ease chronic shortages that have frustrated patients and providers in recent years. Under the new system announced by the Emirates Drug Establishment pharmaceutical companies will now be required to appoint more than one authorised agent for each medical product marketed in the UAE opening up distribution to multiple suppliers instead of leaving a single distributor in control a setup that until now has limited competition and enabled higher prices and supply bottlenecks. Doctors and industry analysts say increased competition among authorised agents is expected to improve supply chain resilience reduce the likelihood of shortages when one supplier faces delays and expand the availability of essential medications such as diabetes mental health and weight loss drugs that have been hard to obtain. The policy is also being seen as a way to strengthen the pharmaceutical market attract greater investment and reinforce national drug security by diversifying supply routes and improving storage and transportation standards. Officials say the long term effect should be a more competitive reliable and affordable medicine market for patients across the Emirates.
