Arabian Ethicals Underscores the Vital Role of Distribution in Enhancing Healthcare Access at ICPM
Arabian Ethicals, a Ghobash Group enterprise, emphasized the pivotal role of pharmaceutical distribution in advancing healthcare access across the Middle East during the International Conference on Pharmacy and Medicine (ICPM), held from January 20–22 in Sharjah.
During the event, Ebru Yavuz, General Manager of Arabian Ethicals, joined senior industry leaders and regulators in discussions on healthcare accessibility, pharmaceutical innovation, and evolving regulatory frameworks across the region.
In her presentation titled “Powering Healthcare Access: The Middle East Distribution Imperative,” Yavuz highlighted distribution as a cornerstone of the healthcare ecosystem, particularly in ensuring safe, compliant, and uninterrupted access to essential medicines. Drawing on the UAE’s healthcare model, she explained how distributors act as the crucial operational and regulatory bridge between global manufacturers, health authorities, and healthcare providers.
“Distribution is foundational to healthcare access,” said Ebru Yavuz. “In the UAE, it is the mechanism that ensures medicines are properly authorized, managed in line with regulatory standards, and consistently available, while safeguarding quality and patient safety.”
Yavuz underscored that authorized distributors are essential for the legal importation, storage, and sale of pharmaceutical products. She emphasized their role in maintaining alignment with federal and local regulatory frameworks, ensuring product registration, dossier compliance, and ongoing pharmacovigilance to uphold patient safety.
A major focus of her address was on supply chain integrity and Good Distribution Practice (GDP) compliance. She highlighted the importance of validated cold-chain infrastructure, real-time temperature monitoring, serialization, and traceability systems—critical for protecting the quality of temperature-sensitive medicines such as biologics, vaccines, and insulin, particularly in challenging climate conditions.
Yavuz also discussed the operational responsibilities of distributors in supporting market access and supply continuity, including tender participation, demand planning, forecasting, and inventory management. These activities, she noted, are vital in maintaining the steady availability of chronic and life-saving medications across hospitals, pharmacies, and healthcare facilities throughout the UAE.
Her participation formed part of broader discussions at ICPM focused on how healthcare systems can balance innovation with regulatory rigor and resilience. The conference served as a key regional platform uniting regulators, manufacturers, healthcare providers, and industry experts to address emerging challenges and opportunities in pharmaceutical distribution and patient access.
Headquartered in Dubai, Arabian Ethicals partners with leading international pharmaceutical companies to connect global innovation with the UAE’s healthcare sector. The company plays a critical role in ensuring reliable, compliant, and efficient distribution of medicines across all seven emirates, supporting the nation’s vision for an advanced and resilient healthcare infrastructure.
