The UAE has announced a major reduction in the retail prices of 168 pharmaceutical products used to treat chronic and critical illnesses, with discounts reaching nearly 60% for certain high-cost biologic and life-saving medicines.

The decision, issued by the Emirates Drug Establishment under Decision No. (12) of 2026, will officially take effect on May 30 and applies across pharmacies throughout the country. The revised pricing structure covers medications for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, thrombosis and stroke prevention, cholesterol disorders, gastrointestinal diseases, neurological and psychiatric conditions, eye diseases, and asthma.

Significant Reductions for High-Cost Biologic Medicines

Among the most notable reductions was Zocor 40 mg, a cholesterol-lowering medication, which recorded a price cut of approximately 59.5%. Xalatan, prescribed for glaucoma patients to reduce elevated intraocular pressure, followed with a reduction of nearly 51.7%.

Several advanced oncology medicines also witnessed substantial price reductions. Alunbrig 180 mg, used for advanced non-small cell lung cancer, dropped from Dh26,433 to Dh21,108. Meanwhile:

• Alunbrig 90 mg decreased from Dh19,824 to Dh12,520
• Alunbrig 30 mg fell from Dh6,608 to Dh4,173
• Xeloda 150 mg, used for breast, colon, and rectal cancers, declined from Dh347 to Dh241

These reductions are expected to significantly ease the financial burden on cancer patients requiring long-term biologic therapies.

Lower Costs for Cardiovascular and Diabetes Treatments

The decision also targeted medications prescribed for chronic heart failure and cardiovascular disease management. Verquvo 2.5 mg was reduced from Dh257 to Dh244, while Verquvo 10 mg now costs Dh474.50 instead of Dh499.50.

For Type 2 diabetes patients, several glipizide-based therapies saw notable reductions:

• Amaryl 1 mg decreased from Dh25 to Dh19
• Amaryl 2 mg dropped from Dh39.50 to Dh32
• Amaryl 3 mg declined from Dh57.50 to Dh47.50

Hypertension and Stroke Prevention Medicines Included

A wide range of blood pressure medications and combination therapies were also included in the price revision:

• Renitec 10 mg reduced from Dh64 to Dh48
• Renitec 20 mg declined from Dh83 to Dh62
• Aprovel 150 mg dropped from Dh99.50 to Dh63.50
• Aprovel 300 mg decreased from Dh117 to Dh85

The initiative further extends to anticoagulants and blood-thinning therapies essential for stroke and thrombosis prevention. Pradaxa 110 mg now costs Dh198 instead of Dh220, while Pradaxa 150 mg was reduced from Dh438.50 to Dh394.50.

Expanded Support for Mental Health, Eye Care, and Asthma Patients

The pricing revision also includes medications used in the treatment of schizophrenia and other chronic psychiatric disorders. Invega 9 mg recorded one of the largest reductions in this category, falling from Dh843 to Dh416.

Additional reductions include:

• Zeldox 20 mg: Dh272 to Dh203
• Zeldox 40 mg: Dh286 to Dh214.50
• Zeldox 80 mg: Dh389 to Dh300

In ophthalmology, Xalatan eye drops dropped from Dh89 to Dh43, while other glaucoma treatments such as GANFORT and Combigan also saw reduced pricing.

For severe asthma patients, the biologic therapy Nucala 100 mg was reduced from Dh6,212.50 to Dh5,142 for both vial and pre-filled syringe formats.

Strengthening Healthcare Accessibility Across the UAE

The broad-based pricing reform reflects the UAE’s ongoing efforts to improve medication accessibility, enhance chronic disease management, and reduce healthcare costs for residents requiring long-term treatment.

By targeting high-cost biologics, cancer therapies, cardiovascular medicines, and chronic disease treatments, the initiative is expected to support better treatment adherence and improve overall patient outcomes nationwide.

Source: Gulf News | Reported by Abdulla Rasheed, Abu Dhabi Bureau Chief