ABU DHABI // Pharmaceutical companies operating in the country must state the name and concentration of medicines in Braille in both Arabic and English.
The new regulations will allow blind people to be more self-reliant and reduce dependence on others when using medicine, said Dr Amin Al Amiri, assistant undersecretary at the Ministry of Health.
Dr Al Amiri, also chairman of the Higher Pharmaceutical Vigilance Committee, said the UAE was one of the first countries in the world to implement these measures.
The legislation also requires all pharmaceutical companies operating to add a QR code on medicines that are imported into the country.
Patients can then scan the code via a smartphone applications, giving them access to information about the medicine, including recent warnings and usage details.
Dr Al Amiri said that the Ministry has given pharmaceutical companies six months to comply with the new rules. This period that can be extended if needed to avoid any shortage in the supply of medicines in the country, he said.
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