Gulf States' Pharma Purchasing 1992-94

Pharmaceutical purchases made by the Executive Board Health Ministers Council on behalf of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain in 1994 (Pharmaceutical Tender 16), totaled $260 million, or 56% more than Tender 15 in 1993, according to a new study from IMS company Pharma Strategy Group Ltd.

Saudi Arabia continues to be the biggest purchaser of the group by far, representing 70% of the total value of 1994's purchases, up 37.6% on 1993, says the study, which is entitled RCI Executive Board Report 1995. The next largest purchaser in 1994 was Qatar, accounting for 11% of the total. In 1993 (Tender 15), Qatar's purchases, of only two items valued at $1,737, had not registered as a percentage. The UAE's share of total purchasing rose 42% to account for 7.5% of the total last year, while Kuwait's share was up 39% to 5.9%, Oman's purchases rose 67.6% to account for 4.3% of the total, and buying on behalf of Bahrain was up 29.5% to represent 1.4% of the total.

SmithKline Beecham Supplied Nearly 10% In 1994 86 companies won awards in Tender 16, up from 84 in Tender 15 and 72 in Tender 14. The most successful company remains Julphar, which has been either the leading or second-leading supplier over the last three tenders. However, in 1994 the largest award went to SmithKline Beecham, which accounted for nearly 10% of total supplies. Winning supply awards for the first time in 1994 were Boots, ClinMidy, Ferring, memphis, Mepha, Nicholas, Organon, Sanofi and Teknika.