GCC to unify price of supplements

Manama : The price of nutritional supplements in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will be unified soon, revealed a Bahraini health official yesterday.

National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) CEO Dr. Mariam Al Jalahma announced in a statement that a specialised GCC committee was tasked to study the price differences of supplements in the GCC pharmaceutical markets.

“Bahrain had submitted this proposal to the General Secretariat of GCC countries last year and it was widely welcomed,” she said. 

Explaining further, Dr. Al Jalahma said the price unification will leave a positive impact on the GCC markets and would allow providing medicines at reasonable rates.

Current GCC laws treat nutritional supplements and vitamins as over-the-counter drugs, which means they are sold directly to a consumer without a prescription from a healthcare professional, as compared to prescription drugs.

Dr. Al Jalahma added that the unification of price would also help prevent unhealthy practices, thereby benefiting many, including patients with chronic diseases.

Citing the recent prices of medicine in the GCC, which is down by 70 percent from its prior level, she said the same is also expected in the current scenario.

The proposal is expected to be approved in the upcoming joint GCC meetings and will come into effect soon.