The government has approved a package of decrees aimed at restructuring the pharmaceutical sector and modernizing biomedical research.
During a meeting of the government council held today, Thursday, three draft decrees were endorsed, designed to reorganize the pharmaceuticals and health products sector. This move is part of a broader initiative to reform the healthcare system and strengthen pharmaceutical security in the Kingdom.
These texts, presented by Health and Social Protection Minister Ameen Tahrawi, include a decree regulating the provision of health authorizations for medicines, another concerning the digitalization of pharmaceutical practice procedures, and a third project related to the organization of biomedical research, reflecting a governmental commitment to modernizing the legal and regulatory framework of the sector.
Through this package, the government aims to establish a more stringent and efficient supervisory system capable of ensuring the quality and safety of medicines, while also improving citizens’ access to treatment and expediting administrative processes related to licensing and oversight.
In this context, the health authorization decree outlines the conditions and methods for granting licenses for imported medicines, controlling the deposit and study processes, and setting deadlines for processing applications, whether through ordinary or urgent procedures. It also mandates relevant institutions to report imported quantities and establishes a system for reporting risks related to drug quality, enhancing monitoring and vigilance mechanisms.
Regarding the organization of the profession, the second project aims for comprehensive digitalization of licensing processes for opening pharmacies and pharmaceutical establishments by creating a unified national electronic platform. The management of these operations will be entrusted to the Moroccan Agency for Medicines and Health Products. This measure is expected to shorten processing times and simplify procedures, as well as increase transparency and improve the quality of services provided to professionals.
Concerning scientific research, the biomedical research decree aims to enhance the regulatory framework for clinical trials by reorganizing ethics committees, simplifying licensing procedures, and establishing urgent processes for special cases. It also includes the establishment of a national advisory committee to oversee this field, with the possibility of consulting decisions from specialized international bodies to expedite file reviews.
These reforms are part of Morocco’s effort to elevate its regulatory system to the third-level maturity recognized internationally by the World Health Organization, which reflects the readiness of national systems to ensure the quality and efficacy of medicines according to the best international practices.
This approach is also expected to bolster the confidence of international partners and open wider horizons for exporting medicines and attracting investments and clinical trials, as well as supporting the Kingdom’s position as a regional hub in pharmaceutical industries and scientific research.
Data related to these projects confirms that the government is moving towards establishing a modern, integrated regulatory framework focused on digitalization and simplification of procedures, which enhances administrative efficiency and protects citizens’ health, aiming to complete the reform of the healthcare system according to international standards.
