Economic team meets with pharmaceutical association on improving sector

AMMAN — The ministerial economic team, chaired by Prime Minister Omar Razzaz, on Saturday held a meeting with the Jordanian Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (JAPM) to discuss increasing the sector’s contribution to the national economy and achieving pharmaceutical security.

The prime minister stressed the importance of maintaining the pharmaceutical industry’s competitive advantages and its reputation at local and international levels.

He also emphasised the importance that the government attaches to the Jordanian pharmaceutical industry, as the Kingdom’s second largest exporter, which contributes to the national economy and employs Jordanians.

Razzaz expressed the government’s readiness to take measures and amend legislation in order to support the sector, enhance its competitiveness and help it overcome the challenges facing it, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The economic team and the JAPM also agreed to form a committee to boost pharmaceutical productivity and develop procedures required to improve the industry.

The prime minister stressed the importance of launching an incubator to help Jordanian pharmaceutical companies’ keep ahead of advancements in the industry and move towards the production of biomedicines, which Jordan still imports from abroad.

JAPM President Salah Mawajdeh briefed the economic team about the sector’s resources, and commended the economic team’s interest in achieving pharmaceutical security and expanding exports.

JAPM Secretary General Hanan Sboul added that the Jordanian market was still small and, therefore, between 70 and 80 per cent of pharmaceuticals are made to be exported outside of Jordan.