Dubai – United Arab Emirates: His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and President of Dubai Health Authority, today officially opened the 24th edition of Dubai International Pharmaceutical and Technology Conference and Exhibition – DUPHAT, the leading pharmaceutical event in the Middle East and North Africa Region at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Running until the 28th of February, DUPHAT brings together leading pharmaceutical experts, industry professionals and senior health officials, with the aim of exploring the latest advances in drug manufacturing as well as discussing the laws and regulations that govern the patenting, testing, safety and efficacy of drugs.

Following the official opening ceremony, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid accompanied by a number of senior health officials, pharmacy experts and industry professionals toured the exhibition area which occupies an overall space of 21,000 square meters, where they were briefed about the advances taking place in drug manufacturing and learned about latest technologies and equipment that are fundamentally transforming the pharmaceutical technology industry.

Commenting on this specialized event, H.H expressed his delight in the great growth and advancements that the exhibition has witnessed over 24 years pointing out that the reason behind this- is the UAE's economic position and the government's flexible policies in promoting and supporting continuing medical education.

This year, DUPHAT is expected to attract over 27,500 visitors and participants over 3 days while the conference features the attendance of 130 international speakers, who offer their unique insights on a variety of topics via 143 scientific lectures, 700 poster presentations and 22 dedicated workshops. Moreover, conference attendees have an opportunity to earn 36.25 CME credit points from Dubai Health Authority and 22 CME points from The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA). Running parallel to the conference, the DUPHAT Tech exhibition features the attendance of 659 participating brands from 75 countries offering exhibiting companies a chance to showcase leading technologies and advances in drug manufacturing. In addition, the exhibition witnesses the presence of 2 country pavilions comprising leading pharmaceutical brands from India and China.

On his part, Dr. Ali Al Sayed Hussain, Chairman, DUPHAT, said, “The UAE has clearly established itself as a regional hub for pharmaceutical companies owing to the governments patient friendly liberal policies and a quicker drug approval process for licensing and distribution of drugs. Additionally, the UAE’s reputation as a favorable destination for doing business and rising medical expenditures among populations in the region have attracted the leading multinational pharmaceutical companies to consider setting up new manufacturing bases in the UAE. As the UAE continues to take steps to boost the pharmaceutical industry, with huge investments in the sector planned for the future, we believe that pharma companies in the UAE and abroad can take advantage of the lucrative strategic location of the UAE and expand their businesses.”

He added, “This year, DUPHAT features a great agenda bringing together the most prominent researchers, world-renowned speakers, distinguished experts and pharmaceutical professionals from all over the world to discuss the most pressing challenges facing the industry. In its latest edition, DUPHAT conference promises engaging discussions on many key topics impacting the world of pharma industry and feature many sessions, workshops, scientific posters and company symposiums. Furthermore, all attendees visiting DUPHAT get a unique opportunity to interact with the best minds in pharmacy, improve their knowledge and understanding about the industry.”

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman of the DUPHAT Conference and Exhibition said, “The pharmacy profession is making huge strides in terms of specialization, scope of activity and the intrusion of latest technologies. With the advent of technology, the world of pharmacy is witnessing new confidence enabling it to tap into unexplored opportunities, enhance competency and contribute to the growth of the healthcare industry. Similarly, the role of pharmacist has greatly evolved moving from merely being an expert in medicines to that of a caregiver, who is committed to serving patients with high quality use of medicines providing safety, effectiveness and patient experience. Keeping this in mind, DUPHAT aims to address the major shifts and changes taking place in the field of pharmacy with the help of professionals, academicians and industry experts.”

He added, “This year, DUPHAT features leading pharmacy professionals from all over the world including speakers from USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Africa and the Middle East. Moreover, DUPHAT 2019 is playing host to an exclusive Regulatory and Manufacturing Session focusing on the latest laws and regulations governing the field of pharmacy. I hope that the presence of the best minds and the world’s leading brands and companies in the field of pharmacy will enhance the knowledge and understanding of all attendees in pharmacy and pave the way for a booming pharmaceutical market.”

During the conference, pharmacy experts and professionals offered their insights on a number of important topics in the field of pharmacy such as Challenges in Pharmacy Practice, Future Perspectives in Pharmacy, Ensuring Patient Safety, Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacogenomics, Advances in Pharmacy Practice, Pharmacy Career Perspectives and TDM, Developing Pharmacy Profession, Governance and Leadership in Pharmacy and Innovation in Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Meanwhile, in a special conference dedicated to Regulatory and Manufacturing of the Pharma Sector, a number of discussions were held on the regulations and laws governing the drug approval process such as PSP Guidelines and Policies, Strengthening Regulatory Sciences, Biosimilar Drugs and the Pharmaceutical Industry: The changing landscape of medications, Emerging Regulatory Environment, Pharmaceutical Global Manufacturing and local pharmaceutical projects: How to combine? And the Importance of Creating a Collaborative Supply Chain. In addition, conference played host to Buyers Program which is a Business to Business Platform dedicated to create a conducive environment for industry professionals pursuing business expansion opportunities.

On the first day, experts highlighted that urbanization, rise in ageing population and a spurt in chronic lifestyle related diseases are boosting the demand for pharmaceutical products in the GCC region. While in the UAE, the implementation of various new incentives, reduced taxes and import tariffs are attracting never before seen investment from leading drug manufactures, with new opportunities for both generic and innovative drugs. Owing to these factors, the latest report by Fitch Solutions – a unit of Fitch Ratings estimated that the pharmaceutical sector in the GCC and particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia is expected to reach 25.7 billion dollars by 2028, making it the most attractive market for drug makers.

Introduced for the first time in DUPHAT, the Pharma Business Hub offered an exclusive networking Hosted Buyers Program, with the aim of facilitating business to business meetings as well as allowing experts and decision makers to meet the pioneers in pharmaceutical technology, get updates on the latest trends and technologies in drug manufacturing and explore the pharmaceutical market for new products.

This year, Pharma Business Hub featured more than 25 buyers representing the top pharmaceutical companies in the region and Africa, generating more than 700 business meeting requests with DUPHAT exhibitors representing many countries such as Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Oman and the UAE.

While DUPHAT conference played host to a number of scientific activities for students and professionals including poster presentation competitions and internship opportunities for top notch students, the exhibition, running parallel to the conference, offered drug manufacturing brands and companies from the region and abroad a unique opportunity to launch their products, showcase latest advances in drug manufacturing, interact with potential business partners and engage in business expansion opportunities.

DUPHAT is organized annually by INDEX Conferences and Exhibitions – a member of INDEX Holding in strategic partnership with General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai and is supported by Dubai Health Authority, International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology, European Society of Oncology Pharmacy, European Federation for Pharmaceutical science, European society of Clinical pharmacy.

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© Press Release 2019

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