المملكة: 90-day deadline for application…and requiring pharmaceutical companies to have “non-removable” price stickers

The Food and Drug Authority has presented a comprehensive regulatory update to the pricing mechanism for registered pharmaceutical preparations via the “Estalaa” platform, with the aim of establishing transparent standards that control The movement of pricesin the local market and clarifies the relationship between the legislative body and pharmaceutical companies, ensuring the stability of the drug supply and protecting the consumer from unjustified price variation.

The new draft shows a firm approach by the authority to adjust timings, as it obligated companies and their agents to implement new or amended prices within a mandatory period not exceeding 90 days from the date of official reporting via the “Sidr” electronic system or direct letters.

The Authority approved a qualitative control to ensure Price stability It is prohibited to reduce the price of any product again if two full years have not passed since the first reduction, so that the implementation of any new reduction decision will be postponed until the expiration of the two-year period, which gives the market and production companies a margin of stability and expectation.

Fixing prices, where the agent is notified with an official letter specifying the fixed price and the time period for its validity, to block the way for any individual judgments that may affect the availability of the medicine or its final cost to the patient.

In a field supervisory step, the Authority imposed immediate measures to deal with inventory, requiring companies to place new, non-removable price stickers on the packages located in warehouses and pharmacies in the event of a difference in the previously printed price, to ensure that the announced price matches the approved price.

The regulatory process is completed with digital procedures that ensure that databases are updated immediately upon the expiry of the specified deadlines, as the Authority amends the price lists through its website and internal systems, so that the digital reference is completely consistent with the actual reality in the sales outlets.