Limiting the supply of medicines in large quantities through authorized agents

Dubai Health Authority updates the regulatory policies for pharmaceutical services

Health facilities are obligated to several procedures to approve the purchase of emergency medicines.

From the source

The Dubai Health Authority has introduced updates to the regulatory policies for pharmaceutical services in the emirate, which codify the policy of purchasing emergency and major medicines, and stressed that health facilities in the emirate must provide the minimum requirements for mandatory emergency medicines, which are mandatory emergency medicines for hospitals, and mandatory emergency medicines. For medical complexes (provided for more than one specialty), it must provide categories of other independent specialized outpatient clinics.

The authority indicated that one-day surgery centers and other outpatient health clinics may obtain approval to purchase emergency medicines from private hospitals licensed by the authority in several cases, namely medicines that are not registered in the state, and controlled and semi-controlled medicines, which are currently not allowed to be exchanged between facilities. Health facilities, and medicines not included in the list of emergency medicines for health facilities, which are in line with the scope and competencies of the health facility.

She said that the marketing and supply of medicines required in large quantities was restricted to only authorized distributors and agents in the country, and authorized distributors and agents in the country were restricted to marketing and supplying only facilities that provide pharmaceutical services.

She added: “Private hospitals may obtain approval to purchase emergency medicines from other private hospitals licensed by the authority, in several cases, namely: critical and life-threatening cases, provided that several documents are provided that include a medical report for the patient submitted by the treating physician, and a prescription that includes all details of Medicines provided by the treating physician, and the name of the hospital that will dispense the drug. It also includes cases of purchasing emergency medicines from other private hospitals, in the event that the medicine is not available from the approved distributor, and it is a major requirement for the hospital’s need.

The authority stressed that health facilities are obligated to several procedures to approve the purchase of emergency medicines by private hospitals from their counterpart by sending a request to the Drug Control Department in the Health Regulatory Sector of the authority, through e-mail, provided that the e-mail includes a set of details, such as: the name of the drug, The quantity of the drug, the concentration and dose of the drug, the pharmaceutical form of the drug, the reason for the request, the name of the distributor or the private hospital through which the drug will be purchased, and the signature of the medical director of the health facility or the pharmacist in charge (if applicable).

The authority indicated that the application is reviewed by the staff of the Drug Control Department - Health Regulatory Sector of the authority, and the notification will be sent to the applicant accordingly within five working days, and after obtaining the approval of the authority, the health facility can purchase the quantity of the approved drug only from the private hospital Licensed by the authority, and the validity of the authority’s approval lasts for one month only, and in the event of the expiration date without using it, the health facility will not be able to purchase the drug until after resubmitting a new application, after obtaining the authority’s approval, and for all health professionals concerned with the management of unregistered drugs The obligation to be authorized by the health facility authorized to handle and administer these medicines, and to be licensed in accordance with the policies and regulations in force in the Authority, and to comply with the terms and controls of this policy, including the restrictions necessary for prescribing, dispensing, managing and disposing of these medicines.

Anesthesia drug management

The Dubai Health Authority confirmed that the management of anesthesia and emergency medications in one-day surgery centers is carried out by the responsible pharmacist, specialist or responsible anesthesia consultant. By purchasing controlled and semi-controlled medicines from the hospital, the hospital documents the sold quantity in the authority’s special register for this purpose, with the name of the health facility to which the medicines were sold, and the health facility receiving the medicine must keep the register of controlled and semi-controlled medicines by the authority.

• Authorized distributors and agents have been restricted in marketing and supplying to establishments that provide pharmaceutical services only.

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