Egyptian domestic drug demand rising and pharmaceutical registration procedures easing

Legal wrangling over a new pricing plan for Egypt’s pharmaceuticals has not dampened confidence in the sector, with rising domestic demand expected to ensure robust profits over the next decade, according to Global Arab Network, reported via the Oxford Business Group.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) last year introduced a new drug pricing regime under which brand-named drugs were priced 10% lower than the cheapest rates in other countries, while generic drugs were priced between 40%-70% of the rates for corresponding brand-named pharmaceuticals.

While the MoH insisted that the reform would lower costs for Egyptian consumers, a non-governmental organization called the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights said that the changes were unconstitutional as they would raise prices and deprive Egyptians of their right to health care.