Dubai: The Sharjah Police have issued a set of fresh warnings to expatriate residents and tourists against carrying prohibited medicines to the UAE.
In the directive issued here the other day, Colonel Abdul Salam Abdul Rahman Bin Faris, director of Police Ports and Airports, made it clear that ‘ignorance of law would not be an excuse to criminal liability’.
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The airport security administration has also urged travelers to strictly adhere to security and safety guidelines and cautioned them not to help strangers by carrying their baggage while flying.
The advice came in the wake of growing number of incidents of travelers landing on the wrong side of the law by bringing banned medicines or carrying parcels given by strangers.
Since the UAE follows strict laws on specific drugs, travelers and expatriates are advised to be more vigilant about medicines they carry from their home countries. Most people carry ‘banned’ medicines due to ignorance and end up facing legal hassles after getting caught during baggage checking at airports.
A comprehensive list of prohibited/controlled pharmaceuticals is available on the website of the UAE Ministry of Health. As per law, the medicines featuring in the list could only be imported through pharmacies attached to hospitals in the country.
However, residents and non-resident patients are allowed to bring some of these medicines for personal use under strict conditions by producing a request authenticated by a registered medical practitioner and attested by a notary.
As per the order issued by the drug control directorate under the UAE health ministry in 2001, residents and non-resident patients can bring in a maximum of a three-month supply of regular or prescription medicines for personal use by producing a note issued by a registered doctor.
Pain relievers and antidepressants can be brought only after obtaining the prior approval of the drug control department. All the cases would be subjected to a thorough scrutiny before granting approval. The request should be submitted along with a valid prescription and medical report from the concerned hospital. According to the guidelines issued to airports and sea ports in the country, medicines sent through postal/courier services will also have to undergo same procedures.
Regulations are imposed on the import of pharmaceutical products to the UAE under the Pharmacy Federal Law No. 4 of 1983, and Narcotic Law 14, of 1995. As per the law, the medicines are classified into four categories – narcotic, rsycho traffic, controlled drug A & B. Those listed under Schedule IV of the Federal Law No. 14 of 1995 should not be carried to the country. Similar regulations are applicable to the drugs in Schedule IV of the Convention of the International Narcotics Control Board 1961, and the substances mentioned in Schedule I of Convention on Psychotropic Substances 1971. There are also restrictions on the import of items registered as controlled medicines in the UAE. Import of all herbal medicines is also required to follow the same procedure.
The rules stipulate that the medicines that do not come under these classifications can be brought in for person use.
Psychotropic medicines can be brought in by residents in a quantity sufficient for one month’s consumption, provided they are accompanied by supporting documents in English or Arabic. Original medical prescription note or the attested copy of the same should also be carried along with the medicines.
Travelers should ensure they obtain a certificate issued by the health department of their home country and produce it upon demand while carrying any of these drugs to the UAE. Local residents also need to possess similar certificate issued by the health authorities in the UAE.
Travelers are requested to fill in the prescribed form available on the health ministry’s website and send it via email to ahmedelhawaty@moh.gov.ae or Ammar.AlShamsi@moh.gov.ae
The drugs can be collected from the office of the Emirates SkyCargo, the air freight division of Emirates Airline, at Entrance Building No. 3, Mezzanine 1 (M1) floor, Office No. 1516, by submitting the required documents.
Most of the medicines in circulation across the world are available at hospitals and community pharmacies in the UAE.
It is advisable to obtain prior permission from the regulation and drug control department under the UAE health ministry before entering the country with pharmaceutical products for personal use. They will be subjected to inspections at airports and sea ports.
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