BOMBAY (PTI): The United Arab emirates has virally banned Pharmaceuticals of Indian origin cutting off an export market valued annually at over Rs one billion (about 300 million US dollars) reports the Economic Times This follows a Diktat from UAE’s health minister on Jan. 18 that companies which failed to comply with the country’s registration requirements would not be allowed to sell their wares
The minister’s decision has not yet been officially notified but inflow of Indian medicines has stopped officials of some of the leading Indian drug companies told the Economic Times. UAE importers are refusing to take delivery of material already dispatched they said.
The list of affected companies includes big names like the Cadila Cipla Wockhardt and Ranbaxy.
UAE has taken action on the basis of a 1987 circular requiring foreign drug companies to comply with its registration procedures According to the UAE government all foreign companies were informed about the need to adhere to the emirate’s quality standards and formalities Moreover the deadline for adhering to UAE’s requirements was extended several times
The Indian companies did not inform the authorities of any difficulty they were facing in fulfilling the requirements neither did exporters from Egypt or Jordan who however are small players in the UAE market unlike their Indian counterparts.
Their conditions are such they can be met by only one or two Indian companies said one exporter.
The government has advised Indian exporters to individually and collectively meet UAE officials to establish their credentials and point out the fact that many Indian companies have United States FDA approval.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 11, 1994
