More than 27,500 visitors and participants from 75 countries will take part at the Dubai International Pharmaceutical and Technologies conference and Exhibition (Duphat) to be held later this month in Dubai, UAE.

The event is being held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and President of Dubai Health Authority, and will take place from February 26 to 28, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The 24th edition of Duphat is the leading pharma event in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, dedicated to pharmacists, drug manufacturers and distributors.

The event comes at a time when the pharmaceutical market in the GCC and more specifically in the UAE is rapidly growing and becoming a regional drug manufacturing hub. As more and more international pharmaceutical companies consider setting up drug manufacturing bases in the UAE and the UAE’s appetite for high quality generic medications is continuously rising, the outlook for the pharmaceutical industry in the country looks promising for future investment.

This year, Duphat will see the attendance of 130 speakers, 143 scientific lectures, 700 poster presentations and 22 workshops designed for the benefit of everyone attending the premier pharma event.

The three-day programme will also feature discussions on a number of topics including pharmacy practice, pharmaceutical science, quality and safety of medicines, medication management, drug recalls and shortages and skills training and education.

Additionally, Duphat exhibition, which is occupying an overall space of 21,000 sq m, is set to feature the presence of 659 leading drug manufacturing and technology brands from the global pharmaceutical industry while also having the presence of 2 country pavilions representing India and China.

Dr Ali Al Sayed Hussain, scientific chairman, Duphat, said, “The pharmaceutical industry in the UAE is witnessing a rapid growth every year owing to a number of factors such as rapid advances in medical treatments and technologies, new innovative devices and drugs for chronic diseases and a consistent rise in healthcare spending.”

“In addition, the rising healthcare costs are also driving innovation in the modern pharma market, where increasingly more and more pharma companies are willing to customise their offerings and develop innovative products, services and solutions,” he said.

Hussain continued: “We are confident that these positive trends will continue to drive the growth of the pharmaceutical sector in the UAE and attract leading pharmaceutical companies to set up drug manufacturing bases in the country.”

“This year, the event features a very exciting scientific programme, with a key focus on a number of topics affecting the pharmaceutical and drug manufacturing industry in the region such as ‘The Pharmacist in Focus, Bridging Pharmacy Education and Practice, Pharmacy Practice Perspectives, Policy and Approach in Medication Management, Future Perspectives in Pharmacy, Expanding the Role of Pharmacist and Pharmacy Service, Strategies and Governance in Pharmacy among others,” he added.

For the first time, Duphat is featuring the launch of a parallel conference on ‘Pharmacy Regulatory and Manufacturing’, bringing together top industry experts, pharmacists and industry professionals from the UAE and abroad.

The conference will highlight a number of issues related to latest advancements in drug manufacturing, new technologies, digitization and more importantly the regulatory mechanisms and legislations necessary for the approval of biological medicines. In addition, a workshop on the sidelines will focus on ‘Pharmacists Contribution to Change in the Year of Tolerance’, where experts will discuss the role of pharmacists in providing patient centred services while also giving them a chance to learn about patient’s expectations and demands.

Running parallel to the conference, Duphat-Tech this year features the leading exhibition, offering leading pharmaceutical companies a chance to showcase their latest products and technologies covering the entire manufacturing chain of the pharmaceutical industry from essential drug ingredients to finished products, as well as formulating, processing, filling, packaging and labelling of products.

Furthermore, Duphat conference attendees will get a chance to receive 36.25 CME points accredited by DHA and 22 points from The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) while also having an opportunity to interact with the top pharmaceutical experts, executives and CEO’s and learn about the future trends in the industry.

Duphat is organised annually by Index Conferences and Exhibitions – a member of Index Holding in strategic partnership with General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai and is supported by Dubai Health Authority, International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology, European Society of Oncology Pharmacy, European Federation for Pharmaceutical science, European society of Clinical pharmacy. – TradeArabia News Service