The Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) revealed that it has withdrawn more than 17 million expired drug packages from pharmacies, RT reported on Saturday.
The head of the Central Administration for Pharmaceutical Inspection at the authority, Amira Mahgoub, confirmed that this comes as part of the second phase of the state’s initiative to resolve the issue of expired drug packages.
This second phase will last for three months and conclude at the end of October, she said, adding that it has already seen a total withdrawal rate of 94.2 percent, representing more than 17 million expired units out of a total of 18 units.
She confirmed that more than 15,000 pharmacies – out of the total number of pharmacies from which expired units were withdrawn – submitted declarations stating that some expired items were not owned by the company with which they were registered and were handed over to another distribution company.
This coincided with the production companies receiving the expired units in preparation for their destruction.
Mahgoub explained that the EDA continues its efforts to withdraw expired medicines from the market, which is one of the most important steps in tightening control over the Egyptian pharmaceutical market.
A long-standing issue
The Egyptian pharmaceutical market is considered one of the most vital markets in the region. Egypt boasts more than 80,000 pharmacies, producing approximately 90 percent of its pharmaceutical needs locally, with a market value exceeding LE 150 billion (approximately three billion US dollars) annually, according to 2024 reports from the Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industries.
The problem of expired medications has been an ongoing challenge, posing a threat to public health due to the potential loss of their effectiveness or the decomposition of their components into harmful substances.
In 2023, the EDA launched an initiative to withdraw expired medications from pharmacies and warehouses, in cooperation with the Pharmacists Syndicate and production and distribution companies, with the aim of cleaning up the market and enhancing confidence in the healthcare system.
The first phase of the initiative, which concluded in July 2024, resulted in the withdrawal of approximately 10 million expired drug units. The second phase, which began in August, focused on enhancing oversight and coordination among various agencies.
This initiative is part of a broader strategy to develop Egypt’s healthcare sector, in line with Egypt Vision 2030, which aims to improve the quality of healthcare services.
More than 150 pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution companies are participating, and subcommittees in 27 governorates are overseeing the initiative’s implementation.
