The Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) confirmed the stability of the pharmaceutical system during 2024, highlighting a major leap in the registration and availability of pharmaceutical products. The authority announced the registration of 9,000 new products to meet local market needs, in addition to licensing 2,500 new pharmacies across the governorates and inaugurating 123 new production lines aimed at localizing the industry and reducing reliance on imports.

Dr. Yassin Ragab, spokesperson of the EDA, stated that imported medicines represented around 5.56% by volume and 28.3% by value of the Egyptian pharmaceutical market in 2023. He stressed that this reflects the strength of the local industry and its capacity to meet citizens’ needs. He also pointed out that counterfeit and unlicensed medicines worth more than 270 million EGP were seized, as part of the authority’s efforts to protect the market from unsafe products.

He added that the authority has recently supported the registration and circulation of 122 new active pharmaceutical ingredients and one packaging material, contributing to lowering the import bill, which averaged 643.2 million USD over the past three years. These efforts mainly target the localization of high-consumption or high-import-value products, while also opening the door for future export opportunities.

Regarding the availability of medicines, Ragab explained that the authority closely monitors around 2,000 registered local and imported products to ensure a safe stock covering a period of one to three months. Continuous coordination is maintained with manufacturers and importers to overcome any production or import challenges, while also following up on substitute products to boost production capacity when needed.

For his part, Dr. Ali El-Ghamrawy, Chairman of the EDA, emphasized that the Egyptian pharmaceutical market is distinguished by a strong local industry capable of supplying essential and strategic medicines with high quality and safety standards. He affirmed that the authority prioritizes market stability, the availability of strategic medicines, and combating any practices that could cause shortages or harm Egyptian patients.

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