UAE enacts law to regulate veterinary medicines and enhance food safety

A newly enacted UAE Federal Decree-Law institutes broad regulations for veterinary medicines and pharmaceutical operations, advancing national control of animal health and reinforcing food safety systems.

The UAE has formalised a Federal Decree-Law covering the oversight of veterinary medical products alongside the regulation of veterinary pharmaceutical entities. This legislative step introduces a framework intended to preserve animal health, secure the food supply, and promote public health standards. Within its scope lie systems for the administration, authorisation, production, and distribution of veterinary medicines, drawing upon international benchmarks. The law addresses an extensive array of materials, from veterinary biological compounds and injectable additives to raw ingredients, medical apparatus, veterinary-specific genetically modified organisms, as well as substances classified as controlled.

The Decree-Law encompasses all phases in the life of veterinary medicines: creation, manufacture, price-setting, import and export, commercial sale, promotion, and environmentally responsible disposal. Strict regulatory provisions include a ban on counterfeit and expired products and state that only qualified veterinarians may adjust or provide prescriptions.

Rules for the National Policy on the Strategic Reserve of Veterinary Medicines appear in the text. One notable measure grants permission, under specified oversight, for manufacturers to loan or transfer certain materials — such as solvents or carriers — to one another for the first time. A dedicated accelerated approval track now exists to expedite market entry for therapeutically advanced products, while the law sets out extensive instructions for the management of banned and limited-use substances.

Responsibility for regulating veterinary pharmaceutical businesses is divided between the Emirates Drug Establishment and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, operating within boundaries set by their respective mandates and under the authorisation of local authorities.

This legislation introduces standardised protocols for licensing, auditing, and inspections and integrates national information systems with statutory requirements for medical and pharmaceutical establishments. It details sanctions applicable in case of non-compliance and establishes procedural standards for monitoring committees. Entities impacted by the Decree-Law have a compliance window of up to one year following enactment, with possible extension by a decision of the cabinet.