Distribution of Pharmaceutical Products in the GCC
Type
E-journal
Date
13 Dec 2016
Jurisdiction
United Arab Emirates
Taxonomy
Pharmacy, Drugs & Medicinal Products, Public Health
Copyright
LexisNexis
Relevant company
Al Tamimi & Company
Analysis
The Gulf Cooperation Council (“GCC”) is one of the fastest growing markets for pharmaceutical products and one that still has significant further potential for the industry. As a result, foreign pharmaceutical manufacturers continue to seek access to the GCC healthcare markets.
In order to legitimately commercialise pharmaceutical products in the GCC, a foreign manufacture would need to either (i) establish a local presence in the relevant country, or (ii) appoint a local agent for that country. In our experience, most foreign pharmaceutical companies will not have a legal presence in the territory that is authorised to undertake distribution. There are obviously separate considerations to be born in mind in the event that a foreign manufacturer does wish to establish a local presence, such as foreign ownership restrictions and sponsorship arrangements, but these fall outside the scope of this article.