The Dubai Science Park, a science-focused business community, hosted a panel discussion in partnership with CPhI Middle East and Africa, the region's most comprehensive pharma gathering, to discuss the importance of attracting manufacturing activities to the local pharmaceuticals and medical equipment sector and decrease dependency on medical imports.
Themed 'Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030: Advancing the UAE pharmaceutical sector', the session saw the participation of industry leaders including Ayman Mokhtar, Country Manager of the Gulf Region at Pfizer, Madhukar Tanna, CEO of Pharmax Pharmaceuticals, Christian Stoll, Licensing and Business Development Manager of Alfred E. Tiefenbacher, Dr Amjad Qandil, Professor and Quality Unit Chairman of the College of Pharmacy at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Science, and Prashant Pandarathil, Engagement Manager at IQVIA Dubai.
Leading the panel discussion as the moderator, Marwan Abdulaziz Janahi, Managing Director of Dubai Science Park, and Chairing Member of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Equipment Taskforce of the Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030, said, "The UAE government has an ongoing commitment to enhance the pharmaceutical sector in this region. The Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030 provides the necessary framework and incentives for us to identify, develop and promote the sector and look at the key enablers such as access to finance, availability of talent and the legal framework to pave the way for the sector."
Ayman Mokhtar, Gulf Country Manager for Pfizer, one of the world’s premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, while expressing his happiness with the useful outcomes and recommendations of the discussion said, "Pfizer has long recognised the necessity of creating a local industrial ecosystem that enables talented individuals to harness their potential and participate in achieving the country’s vision to develop local healthcare sectors. We emphasise the importance of effective partnerships with our partners in government, healthcare institutions and other sectors to ensure that patients have easy access to quality healthcare."
Dr. Qandil underlined the importance of involving academia in the development of home-grown Research & Development capacities. He highlighted the growing need for a collaborative approach between industry leaders and students that ultimately leads to more innovation, productivity and ideation.
The CPhl Middle East and Africa event took place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company, ADNEC, UAE. This will be followed by CPhI Worldwide in Spain from 9th to 11th October, 2018.
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