Egypt's pharmaceutical market recorded EGP 309bn in sales in 2024, up from EGP 216bn in 2023—reflecting a 43% year-on-year increase, according to Ali Ghamrawy, Chairperson of the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA). The announcement came during the EDA's 15th Board of Directors meeting, attended by Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel El-Wazir, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan Mohamed El-Khatib, and Presidential Health Advisor Mohamed Awad Tag El-Din, alongside other senior officials. The meeting reviewed several strategic updates, including the latest activities of the Permanent Committee of the Egyptian Pharmacopeia and progress in digital transformation across the Authority. These digital initiatives aim to enhance service delivery efficiency and strengthen the institutional work environment. A key highlight of the meeting was the EDA's continued success in gaining international accreditation. In December 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) awarded the Authority Maturity Level 3 status in the field of medicines—an achievement that follows its earlier Maturity Level 3 accreditation for vaccines in March 2022. EDA laboratories have also been accredited by both the WHO and the European Union, a milestone that positions them as globally recognized reference labs. The Authority's growing international presence was further underscored by its contributions to regulatory capacity-building programs across the Arab and African regions. With WHO Maturity Level 3 recognition in both medicine and vaccine regulation, the EDA has assumed a leading role in supporting regulatory system development throughout Africa. The African Union Development Agency – NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) has selected EDA's Continuing Professional Development Center as a Regional Centre of Regulatory Excellence (RCORE). Under this designation, the Authority has conducted 12 international training programs for countries including Libya, Yemen, Ghana, and Algeria. Additionally, the meeting showcased progress in EDA's internship programs, including the pilot launch of a new Learning Management System (LMS) platform aimed at enhancing professional training and knowledge transfer.
