Minister of Health Sets Regulations and Procedures for Licensing Private Pharmacies and Trading in Medicines and Medical Products
- The license validity period is four years, with a minimum distance of 1,000 meters between pharmacies.
- At least one Kuwaiti pharmacist must be employed in pharmacies licensed to non-Kuwaitis.
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- Strict requirements for storage, dispensing, and verification of patient, drug, and dosage data before delivery.
- Regulation of delivery services and prohibition of selling drugs with less than 30 days remaining until expiration.
Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadi issued a ministerial decision today, Wednesday, regarding the regulations and procedures for licensing pharmacies in the private sector and the trading of medicines and medical products therein, aiming to enhance drug safety, service quality, and public health protection.
The Ministry of Health stated in a press release that the decision includes a comprehensive regulatory framework for the various stages of licensing and operating private pharmacies, as well as mechanisms for trading, dispensing, storing, and delivering medicines, alongside the organization of professional and supervisory responsibilities for employees.
It clarified that the decision sets specific controls for licensing private pharmacies, whether for Kuwaiti pharmacists, cooperative societies, or private hospitals. It also specified the validity period of a private pharmacy license at four years, and regulated procedures for issuing, renewing, changing location or area, adding warehouses, temporary or permanent closure, and re-opening pharmacies, along with related requirements, inspections, and approvals from competent authorities.
The ministry noted that the decision stipulated that the distance between a pharmacy applying for a license and the nearest existing pharmacy must not be less than 1,000 meters in all directions, according to a specific measurement mechanism, with exceptions for certain sites and facilities mentioned in the decision.
It pointed out that the decision emphasized the technical and health requirements necessary for preserving and storing medicines and medical products, including that the temperature of the pharmacy and its warehouses must not exceed 25 degrees Celsius, and that drugs requiring refrigeration must be stored at temperatures between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius. It also mandated the verification of patient, drug, and dosage data, and the absence of errors or conflicts in prescriptions before dispensing, thereby ensuring a safer prescription for the patient.
The ministry reported that the decision obliged the pharmacy license holder to appoint a licensed pharmacy manager, who is not permitted to manage more than one pharmacy. It defined his responsibility for the workflow, custody of medicines, invoices, prescriptions, records, technical aspects, and pharmacy staff. Furthermore, it required pharmacies owned by companies, individuals, cooperative societies, and private hospitals licensed to non-Kuwaiti pharmacists to employ at least one Kuwaiti pharmacist holding a valid practice license.
It indicated that the decision regulated pharmacy operations through night shifts and 24-hour opening, specified the essential data required in medical prescriptions before dispensing, and prohibited the trading, dispensing, or selling of medicines, health products, dietary supplements, herbal preparations, and special foods if the remaining validity period is less than 30 days.
It also mandated providing an identification card for each drug containing clear patient data, including dosage, method of use, storage instructions, and necessary warnings.
The ministry affirmed that the decision prohibits accepting or returning medicines, health products, dietary supplements, herbal preparations, and special foods after they have been dispensed or sold to the public in private pharmacies. It also required that products displayed or sold be in their original packaging approved for trading by the competent authority at the Ministry of Health.
It noted that the decision included regulating outdoor advertising on the facades of private pharmacies, requiring prior approval from the relevant authority within the Ministry of Health, and establishing detailed guidelines for the disposal of medicines and medical products in the event of a pharmacy’s temporary or permanent closure.
