Regulatory body sought to ensure drug quality

The Third Pharmaceutical Conference that concluded in Salalah on Tuesday, came out with strong recommendations to improve the functioning of the sector as also to ensure the quality of locally produced drugs. The conference organisers — Omani Pharmaceutical Society and Department of Pharmaceutical Care Medical and Warehouses — called the event meaningful in terms of discussions and suggestions and level of participation. Dr Mohammed bin Hamdan al Rubaie, Director-General of Directorate of Pharmacy and Drug Control at the Ministry of Health, highlighted the importance of integration between the public and private sectors and the role played by the Ministry of Health to encourage investment in the pharmaceutical sector, especially drug manufacturing by seeking to accelerate and facilitate the procedures while ensuring the safety and quality of all medicines in the Sultanate. The participants sought the establishment of a regulatory body to monitor the drug evaluation process, its effectiveness, safety and quality of medicine as well as intensive programmes in ‘pharmacovigilance’ to ensure the quality of drugs produced locally. “It sought the development of government procurement system to support the national products, which has benefits like creation of jobs and fund investment in the Sultanate,” said a participant. Formation of a committee comprisng officials from various health sectors to sort out issues related to private partners under the umbrella of Oman Pharmaceutical Society is the part of the recommendation. The participants also sought to incentivise the pharmaceutical industry and called for some mechanism in this direction. They recommended co-ordination with the faculties of pharmacy to develop programmes to empower college students and make them able to take jobs in pharmaceutical sector both in sales and manufacturing.