The first session of the fourth edition of the Al-Ahram Pharmaceutical Conference were attended by Dr. Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population; Dr. Mohamed Awad Tag El-Din, Presidential Adviser on Health Affairs; Dr. Mohamed Faiz, Chairman of Al-Ahram Foundation; Journalist Maged Mounier, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Ahram; Dr. Mohamed Maait, former Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Universal Health Insurance Authority; Dr. Bahaa Zidan, Chairman of the Unified Procurement Authority; and Dr. Ahmed El-Sobky, Chairman of the Healthcare Authority.

The first session was chaired by Dr. Ayman El-Khatib, Deputy Chairman of the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA), who emphasized that the conference, under its current theme, comes at a very critical time for one of the most important industries. 

He highlighted that the state, through the EDA, is adopting the pharmaceutical tracking project, which is crucial in closing the door to commercial fraud, ensuring the correct pricing of medicines, identifying drug shortages, and ensuring their availability in the market, noting that this system is considered a magical solution to the drug crises.

In the same context, Dr. Yousry Nawar, Executive Director of the Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry at the Federation of Egyptian Industries and Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Chamber of the American Chamber of Commerce in Cairo, stated that the conference comes at a crucial time amid regional and international changes, which require greater cooperation to elevate the pharmaceutical industry in Egypt.

He affirmed that Egypt’s pharmaceutical industry is well-established, resilient in the face of all crises, and able to continue supporting patients throughout.

Nawar pointed out that the pharmaceutical chamber has developed a clear vision to advance the sector in line with the 2030 vision and national priorities.

He said the chamber’s strategy focuses on ensuring the sustainability of providing safe and effective medicines for Egyptian patients, maximizing export opportunities to meet the government’s goal of reaching $145 billion, attracting local and foreign investments, and empowering small and emerging companies to contribute to the growth of the Egyptian economy.

Nawar also emphasized that these objectives address pricing, registration, and other obstacles hindering the pharmaceutical industry.

He noted that the chamber's vision serves all these goal and strategies, including localizing, deepening development, exporting, empowering, and financing of the sector in Egypt.

Nawar said that the social dimension dominates drug pricing in Egypt but there is a need to consider the economic and investment aspects as well.

Dr. Ali Ouf, Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Division at the Chamber of Commerce, said that the pharmaceutical tracking system is an electronic system, which is implemented in several countries to monitor markets and address the issues facing the industry.

It tracks the journey of the medicine from the manufacturer through warehouses to pharmacies and patients, all under the full supervision of the EDA, thus closing the door to drug fraud in the local market.

Dr. Ouf added that the pharmaceutical tracking system is particularly important for exporting, as some countries require the implementation of a tracking system for export approval.

He praised the EDA for its efforts in addressing drug shortages in the market and conducting campaigns to regulate the market.

Dr. Ouf  also praised the drug authority's initiative to withdraw expired drugs from the market in cooperation with industry partners.

He also warned of the existence of fake pages on social media that recycle expired drugs.

In the same vein, Dr. Mohamed El-Marasy, Director of Government Relations at Servier Egypt, stressed that the goal of pharmaceutical companies is to provide safe and effective medicine to Egyptian patients.

He emphasized that the state’s efforts to encourage and localize the pharmaceutical industry align with this goal.

Dr. El-Marasy added that there is a clear Egyptian vision aimed at exporting Egyptian medicines to Arab and international markets with high quality and efficiency.

He expressed hopes to implement this policy and strategy in the near future.

For his part, Dr. Mahmoud Abdel-Gawad, Managing Director of Ibn Sina Pharma, said that drug distribution is a key component of the Egyptian pharmaceutical sector, serving as a link between producers and hospitals, and between producers and pharmacies.

This played a crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemic in ensuring the availability of medicine in the market, he noted.

Dr. Abdel-Gawad added that the sector is facing challenges due to inflation and rising interest rates, as distribution companies rely on financing to obtain medicines, and bank loans to establish warehouses or purchase distribution vehicles.

He explained that the pharmaceutical distribution sector needs government initiatives, whether from the Ministry of Finance or the Central Bank of Egypt, to cope with high interest rates, which can reach up to 30 percent.

Dr. Abdel-Gawad noted that it is also difficult for companies in the sector to secure higher  credit limits due to the challenges faced by some pharmacies.

He called for a facilities initiative for the pharmaceutical distribution sector, given rising inflation, since the current cap on profit margins is 8 percent.

Dr. Abdel-Gawad expalined that the profit margin may drop to 1 percent after deducting expenses and interest, which is not enough to sustain the sector.

He argued that the profit margin percentage must be raised with the rise in the US dollar and the increase in drug prices.

He added that there is a need for more facilities for drug companies to establish warehouses in the governorates, which would ensure quick access to medicines for citizens.

Meanwhile, Dr. Sami Khalil, Director of the Egyptian Foundation for Drug Research Development (Pharma Group), said that the foundation includes all companies involved in pharmaceutical research.

He highlighted that sustainable and well-planned investment provides a robust and productive pharmaceutical industry in the long run.

Dr. Khalil emphasized that overcoming obstacles is necessary to advance the industry, noting that speeding up the registration of medicines would boost the sector.

He stressed the importance of creating an environment conducive to foreign investment, urging more collaboration with civil society organizations such as the American Chamber of Commerce and government entities like the Egyptian Drug Authority.