UAE Pharmaceuticals Market By Drug Type (Generic Drugs, Branded Drugs), By Product Type (Over-The-Counter Drugs, Prescription Drugs), By Application (Cardiovascular, Oncology, Metabolic Disorder, Musculoskeletal, Anti-infective, and Others), By Distributi

UAE Pharmaceuticals Market By Drug Type (Generic Drugs, Branded Drugs), By Product Type (Over-The-Counter Drugs, Prescription Drugs), By Application (Cardiovascular, Oncology, Metabolic Disorder, Musculoskeletal, Anti-infective, and Others), By Distribution Channel (Retail Pharmacy, Hospital Pharmacy, E-Pharmacy), By Region, Competition Forecast & Opportunities, 2028F


UAE Pharmaceuticals Market stood at USD 4009.31 million in 2022 and is expected to grow at a steady rate of 7.96% during the forecast period on account of the rising prevalence of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, respiratory problems, renal disorders, and others in the country requiring effective treatment is expected to drive the growth of UAE pharmaceutical market during the forecast period. For instance, according to the global cancer observatory, in 2020, about 4807 new cases in UAE were of cancer. Out of which, 1030 were of breast cancer, 510 were of the colorectum, 405 were of thyroid, 272 were of leukemia, 270 were of the prostate, and 2380 were of other kinds of cancers. Furthermore, the increasing disease burden has led to a surge in demand for pharmaceutical products, which is expected to bolster the growth of the market. These factors are actively driving the growth of the UAE Pharmaceuticals Market in the upcoming five years, 2024-2028.

One of the key drivers of growth in the UAE pharmaceutical market is an aging population. As people get older, they are more likely to require medication to treat chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis. This has led to an increase in demand for medications and has created a large and growing market for pharmaceutical companies. Another factor driving growth in the UAE pharmaceutical market is increasing healthcare spending. The government has made healthcare a priority and has allocated significant resources to improve healthcare infrastructure and services. This has created a favorable environment for pharmaceutical companies, with a growing demand for drugs and therapies.

Additionally, the market growth can be attributed to the expanding healthcare infrastructure in the country and high investments by market players in developing effective drugs and medicines; infectious disorders brought by increased tourism and environmental factors are expected to drive the growth of the market.

Furthermore, consistent research and technological advancement in the manufacturing of drugs is expected to aid the growth of the UAE Pharmaceuticals Market in the forecast period, in the forecast period of 2024-2028. Moreover, the government supports the idea by increasing investment in the pharmaceutical sector, and pharmaceutical companies are forced to manufacture pharmaceutical products in the country.

Rise in Prevalence of Diseases

The increase in the number of chronic diseases, infectious diseases, and lifestyle diseases is the major factor influencing the growth of the pharmaceutical market in the country. Chronic diseases like cardiovascular diseases, cancer, neurological disorders, etc., are driving market growth. According to the research articles, health experts say at least 50 percent of heart attack patients in the UAE are under the age of 50, as doctors warn obesity and sedentary lifestyles are creating a generation prone to cardiovascular disease.

Government Initiatives

The United Arab Emirates government is actively focused on developing technology and advancement in the pharmaceutical industry. Several initiatives were taken within the country, like Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030 and Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 are focused on developing the pharmaceutical industry due to its future growth prospects, export potential, and mid-term to long-term economic impact. In recent years, majorly, the pharmaceutical demands were fulfilled by imported drugs and products. Therefore, the market players are increasing their manufacturing of pharmaceutical products, thereby initiating strengthening bonds with multinational market players. The government is preparing favorable schemes and plans for the distribution channels and funding strategic locations and sophisticated logistics infrastructure to further strengthen the growth of the UAE pharmaceutical market in the future five years.

The UAE's government's initiatives to increase and improve healthcare access will be aided by rising support from the business sector. The National Unified Medical Record system and the Public Health Management platform both aim to use digital health solutions to foster collaboration between the public and private sectors while promoting and monitoring public health initiatives and improving the overall provision of healthcare that has been introduced by the UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention over the course of 2021. According to the International Diabetes Federation, in 2021, out of 1000s, about 990 Emiratis were suffering from diabetes. Additionally, the growing research and development activities in the pharmaceutical industry are projected to augment the growth of the UAE pharmaceutical market in the forthcoming years.

Moreover, the pharmaceutical market in the UAE is dominated by multinational companies such as Pfizer, Novartis, Roche, and Sanofi. These companies have a strong presence in the country and invest heavily in research and development to bring new drugs and therapies to market. In addition to these major players, there are other smaller companies and startups that focus on developing drugs for niche markets.

Increase in Medical Tourism

The UAE government is rapidly expanding its medical tourism industry. Because of its position, The Emirates is a convenient destination for tourists. In the United Arab Emirates, cancer therapy is the most sought-after medical service. This attracts around 400 thousand patients worldwide. Dental surgery is gaining interest, and over the next decade, it will be a booming business in the country. The facilities for other forms of treatments, including surgeries and orthopedic treatments, are available.

Recent Developments

In January 2022, the UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention signed a memorandum of understanding with a strong market player, namely Bayer Middle East, to launch a new educational initiative, "STEPS" (Development and Training for Excellence in Clinical Pharmacy Systems). The new initiative aims to support the local health authorities by developing the capabilities of the various components of the medical system, such as regulators, suppliers, and pharmacists, through the provision of training modules on health economics with the aim of educating the medical community on best healthcare practices.

Additionally, in January 2022, ADQ, one of Abu Dhabi’s largest sovereign wealth funds, entered into an agreement to consolidate several companies in order to create the UAE’s largest healthcare provider. The new healthcare platform will operate through Alpha Dhabi’s unit, Pure Health Medical Supplies, a UAE-based integrated healthcare solutions provider. As part of consolidatory efforts, Pure Health, which already has a diversified service portfolio of hospital management, laboratory services, medical supplies, and healthcare informatics, will improve efficiencies and optimize healthcare expenditure across the value chain.

In December 2021, AstraZeneca and Abu Dhabi’s G42 Healthcare announced a partnership to boost clinical research and diagnostics frameworks in the UAE. They also investigate real-world genomics evidence as part of the collaboration, and G42 Healthcare's Biogenix Labs use it to provide full clinical diagnostic services.

Market Segmentation

The UAE Pharmaceuticals Market is segmented by drug type, product type, application, distribution channel, region, and competitive landscape. Based on drug type, the market is further bifurcated into generic drugs and branded drugs. Based on product type, the market is segmented into over-the-counter drugs and prescription drugs. Based on application, the market is segmented into cardiovascular, oncology, metabolic disorder, musculoskeletal, anti-infective, and others. Based on distribution channel, the market is bifurcated into retail pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, and e-pharmacy.

Market Players

Pfizer UAE, Johnson & Johnson Middle-East, GlaxoSmithKline & Neopharma, Julphar Gulf Pharmaceutical Ind, Roche Pharmaceuticals Middle East FZCO, Niner Pharmaceuticals LLC, Lifepharma FZE, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, etc. are some of the leading companies operating in the UAE Pharmaceuticals Market.

Report Scope:

In this report, UAE Pharmaceuticals Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends, which have also been detailed below:
  • UAE Pharmaceuticals Market, By Drug Type:
  • Generic Drugs
  • Branded Drugs
  • UAE Pharmaceuticals Market, By Product Type:
  • Over-The-Counter Drugs
  • Prescription Drugs
  • UAE Pharmaceuticals Market, By Application:
  • Cardiovascular
  • Oncology
  • Metabolic Disorder
  • Musculoskeletal
  • Anti-infective
  • Others
  • UAE Pharmaceuticals Market, By Distribution Channel:
  • Retail Pharmacy
  • Hospital Pharmacy
  • E-Pharmacy
  • UAE Pharmaceuticals Market, By Region:
  • Abu Dhabi
  • Dubai
  • Sharjah
  • Rest of UAE
Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in UAE Pharmaceuticals Market.

With the given market data, TechSci Research offers customizations according to a company’s specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

Company Information
  • Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).
Please Note: Report will be updated with the latest data and delivered to you within 3-5 working days of order. Single User license will be delivered in PDF format without printing rights


1. Product Overview
1.1. Market Definition
1.2. Scope of the Market
1.2.1. Markets Covered
1.2.2. Years Considered for Study
1.2.3. Key Market Segmentations
2. Research Methodology
2.1. Objective of the Study
2.2. Baseline Methodology
2.3. Key Industry Partners
2.4. Major Association and Secondary Sources
2.5. Forecasting Methodology
2.6. Data Triangulation & Validation
2.7. Assumptions and Limitations
3. Executive Summary
3.1. Overview of the Market
3.2. Overview of Key Market Segmentations
3.3. Overview of Key Market Players
3.4. Overview of Key Regions/Countries
3.5. Overview of Market Drivers, Challenges, Trends
4. Voice of Customer
4.1. Brand Awareness
4.2. Factors contributing to Demand for Pharmaceuticals
4.3. Commonly Used Pharmaceuticals in UAE
5. UAE Pharmaceuticals Market Outlook
5.1. Market Size & Forecast
5.1.1. By Value
5.2. Market Share & Forecast
5.2.1. By Drug Type (Generic and Branded drugs)
5.2.2. By Product Type (Over-The-Counter Drugs, Prescription Drugs)
5.2.3. By Application (Cardiovascular, Oncology, Metabolic Disorder, Musculoskeletal, Anti-infective, and Others)
5.2.4. By Distribution Channel (Retail Pharmacy, Hospital Pharmacy, E-Pharmacy)
5.2.5. By Region
5.2.6. By Company (2022)
5.3. Product Market Map
6. UAE Generic Drugs Market Outlook
6.1. Market Size & Forecast
6.1.1. By Value
6.2. Market Share & Forecast
6.2.1. By Product Type
6.2.2. By Application
6.2.3. By Distribution Channel
7. UAE Branded Market Outlook
7.1. Market Size & Forecast
7.1.1. By Value
7.2. Market Share & Forecast
7.2.1. By Product Type
7.2.2. By Application
7.2.3. By Distribution Channel
8. Market Dynamics
8.1. Drivers
8.1.1. Rise Incidence of Chronic Diseases
8.1.2. Government Initiatives
8.1.3. Recent Developments
8.1.4. Rise in Medical tourism
8.2. Challenges
8.2.1. The strict pricing controls
8.2.2. Weak patent enforcement
8.2.3. Generic drug substitution
9. Market Trends & Developments
10. UAE Economic Profile
11. Competitive Landscape
11.1. Business Overview
11.2. Product Offerings
11.3. Recent Developments
11.4. Financials (In Case of Listed Companies)
11.5. Key Personnel
11.5.1. Pfizer UAE
11.5.2. Johnson & Johnson Middle-East
11.5.3. GlaxoSmithKline & Neopharma
11.5.4. Julphar Gulf Pharmaceutical Ind
11.5.5. Roche Pharmaceuticals Middle East FZCO
11.5.6. Niner Pharmaceuticals LLC
11.5.7. Lifepharma FZE
11.5.8. Hikma Pharmaceuticals
12. Strategic Recommendations
13. About Us & Disclaimer

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