Regulatory framework

Topic	Details
Competent authority/authorities enforcing the above statutory law(s)	The Drug Department at MOHAP, its equivalent in the relevant local public health authority or the local authority itself.
Competent authority/authorities enforcing the above code(s) of conduct	MOHAP
Competent authorities enforcing any other provisions indicated above	The Higher Committee for Drug Policies.1

¹ The committee responsible for setting down the policies pertaining to the trading, pricing and control of Medical Products in the UAE.

Topic	Detail
Restrictions on event locations (e.g., events abroad, touristic locations, mountain or beach locations during winter/summer season, etc)	Companies shall not organise or sponsor an event, or the participation of health care professionals in events that take place outside the UAE unless (i) most of the attendees of the event are from outside the UAE and/or (ii) given the location of the relevant resource or expertise it makes more sense to hold the event in another country.

Topic	Details
Restrictions or requirements regarding event venues (e.g., resorts, castles, SPAs, proximity to transport connections or centers with relevant medical expertise, etc)	All events must be held in an appropriate venue that is conducive to the main purpose of the event. Hotels which are  known as recreational locations – such as resorts, spas, golf hotels – reputed for entertainment are not acceptable venues.

Topic	Details
Restrictions or requirements regarding accommodation provided to HCPs (e.g. five star hotels, maximum number of nights, minimum duration of events, etc.)	Only HCPs and persons qualified to participate shall be provided  accommodation. Consultants may have their accommodation expenses compensated in exchange for services provided (e.g., speaking in meetings or participating in clinical trials). Such compensations shall be reasonable and based on the fair market value of the accommodations.

Topic	Detail
Restrictions on air travel (e.g. economy class only; minimum flight duration for business class)	Travel provided for the HCP must be reasonable and should not cover a period of stay longer than the official duration of the event. Class of travel should be in accordance with the management policy of the authority or facility where the healthcare professional practices. Medical product companies are expected to have pre-set thresholds for upgrading from economy to business and business to first class.
Restriction on train transportation (class; duration; etc.)	No specific rules.
Other restrictions regarding travel	If no management policy exists, class of travel depends on duration of the flight. Medical product companies shall only pay reasonable and actual travel fees.

Topic	Details
Limitation on providing meals (e.g. only refreshment for events lasting for half a day or more)	Marketing, professional, or scientific events must be accompanied by meals.
Maximum value for meals (e.g., EUR 60) – please specify by meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner) where applicable	No rules for specific meals. Consultants that have provided certain services are entitled to compensation for costs incurred in the provision of such services, including meals. Such compensation shall be reasonable and based on the fair market value.
Restrictions on where meals can be provided? (e.g. no Michelin-starred restaurant)	No specific rules.
Other restriction (e.g. no alcohol may be offered)	Hospitality concerning marketing, professional, or scientific events shall be limited to travel, meals, accommodation, and the real registration fees. Hospitality must not exceed the level that HCPs would be willing to pay the cost of themselves.

Topic	Details
Rules applicable to family members travelling together with HCPs to the event location.	The cost of including a HCP's spouse or other guest is prohibited. This applies to meals, accommodation, travel and other expenses.

Topic	Details
Rules originally designed for traditional events (described in previous points) but applicable also to online conferences	No specific rules.
Additional rules applicable specifically to online conferences (incl. communication / advertising rules in relation to events attended by multinational audience)	No specific rules.

Topic	Details
Specific rules applicable to promotional events organized by/on behalf of MAH in comparison to independent scientific events described in previous points (incl. event location, venue, accommodation, transport, meals, family members, online conferences	The MAH shall ensure that promotional advertisements of the Medical Product comply with the conditions and rules approved by MOHAP. There are no specific rules for promotional events organised by or on behalf of MAH. All of the above listed requirements also apply to promotional events.

Medical devices are a category falling under the umbrella term "Medical Products" in Federal Law No.  of 2019, (Art. 1) and the Code of Ethical  Conduct.

HCPs shall not be induced to prescribe, sell, supply or use medical products in treatments through, for example, gifts, privileges, promised offers, or employment as consultants.

HCPs participating in education and medicinal programmes shall not be encouraged to prescribe, supply, recommend, list, pay the price of, purchase or sell any medical product.

Companies may not trade medical products in the UAE without Marketing Authorization or exclusive Marketing Authorization from MOHAP.

The medical product may not priced above the price point set by MOHAP.

Non-pharmaceutical institutions may not engage in selling, offering, storing, or trading any medical product for which a medical prescription is required.

The types of non-Pharmaceutical Institutions permitted to engage in selling, offering, storage or trading of non-prescription Medical Products shall be determined by decision of the Minister, along with the names of those products, according to the controls specified by the Implementing Regulation of the present Law.

Medical products cannot be traded or marketed unless the information and data provided in the inner and outer label, along with the Product Information Leaflet are similar to the information and data of the container mentioned in the relevant Marketing Authorization Annex. The Competent Committee shall specify the data required to be registered in the inner and outer label and the Information Leaflet of the Medical Product.

Except for pharmacists and pharmacist technicians, licensed HCPs may not sell medical products either directly or indirectly without prior approval from MOHAP or the relevant local public health authority or the local authority.

HCPs may neither prescribe nor recommend any Medical Product for the purpose of achieving a personal benefit.

Prescription medicinal products may not be announced, advertised, or promoted to the public by any means unless those products have marketing authorization. Moreover , MOHAP may approve the announcement, advertisement, or promotion of a Medical Product in magazines, scientific resources intended for HCPs.

Falsified, defective or expired medical products may not be traded, nor may free advertising samples of medical products be sold.

Companies seeking to import, export or market medical products within the UAE must obtain a license from MOHAP.

Pharmaceutical institutions may not deal with institutions not licensed to trade in medical products.