What Every Health Brand Must Know Before Exhibiting in the UAE
Participating in healthcare exhibitions and conferences in the UAE can offer strategic exposure for pharmaceutical, medical device, supplement, and cosmetic companies. But many organizations are unaware of the strict regulatory approvals required before displaying or handling products at these events.
At PRA Consultancy, we support healthcare brands in navigating these approvals across EDE and Dubai Municipality, ensuring compliant participation at conferences and exhibitions.
Below is a comprehensive summary of the official UAE regulatory requirements that govern pharmaceutical samples, exhibition displays, and product advertising—including what’s allowed, what’s restricted, and how to prepare properly:
1. The Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE) Exhibition Import Permit — Required for Display-Only Medicines
The Emirates Drug Establishment provides an official service titled: “Issue of permit to import medicines for exhibitions.” This permit allows companies to import innovative, unregistered pharmaceutical products solely for display purposes at a specific event—not for use, sale, or distribution.
Key Requirements:
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Permit must be obtained before the event.
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Products must be clearly marked as: (Unregistered, Non-priced, Not for sale).
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Display is limited to the event named in the permit.
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Post-event, the company must re-export the products.
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No advertising is allowed through local media.
Required Documents:
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Official letter from the exhibition organizer.
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Undertaking letter to re-export the items.
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Product catalog and quality certificate.
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Certificate of origin and invoice.
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Details of the marketing authorization holder (if applicable).
2. Pharmaceutical Samples & Demonstration Products — Strict Rules Apply
According to EDE’s code of ethical practices, the handling of samples and demo products is highly regulated.
What’s Allowed:
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Samples may only be supplied to licensed healthcare professionals (HCPs).
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Must be labelled clearly in both English and Arabic: “Free medical sample – Not for sale.”
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Supplied in moderate quantities.
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Tracked internally by the company (documentation required).
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Demo items (e.g., placebo units, mock devices) may be used for education, awareness, or training purposes only.
What’s Prohibited:
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No distribution to the public.
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No commercial intent or substitution for actual product use.
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No re-labelling or misleading representations.
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Ensure the product is registered with EDE, or clearly indicate its unregistered/non-marketed status, as required under the import permit.
EDE collaborates with event organizers to monitor on-site compliance, especially where product claims, sampling practices, or packaging could mislead professionals or the public.
3. Cosmetic Samples in Dubai — When Dubai Municipality (DM) Approval Is Required
If you're planning to display or provide cosmetic samples, especially within Dubai, you may need pre-approval from Dubai Municipality (DM) under its Consumer Product Safety section.
When DM Approval May Be Required:
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Cosmetics, personal care items, sanitizers, disinfectants, and household products.
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Even if labelled as "samples", products must be registered in DM’s Montaji system or imported under a temporary event-specific permit.
PRA Consultancy can support your classification and determine whether DM or EDE rules apply.
Practical Checklist for Exhibitors
Before the Event:
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Apply for the EDE permit to import medicines for exhibition display.
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Plan for re-export of all imported items after the event.
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Prepare product signage showing: Unregistered / Not for sale / Non-priced.
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Ensure demo and sample packaging meets labelling requirements (Arabic + English).
If You’re Providing Samples:
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Limit distribution only to licensed healthcare professionals.
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Clearly mark samples with “Free medical sample – Not for sale.”
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Maintain internal tracking logs and handover documentation.
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Do not offer samples for public, retail, or commercial use.
Promotional Materials at Booths:
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Check whether your visuals, videos, or brochures count as a health advertisement.
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If yes, apply for EDE health advertisement approval.
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Comply with EDE or Dubai Municipality’s additional requirements depending on product type.
PRA Consultancy’s Role
With years of experience in navigating UAE’s evolving healthcare regulations, PRA Consultancy helps clients ensure full compliance when preparing for exhibitions and industry events.
We provide:
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Permit application support (EDE, DM).
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Regulatory classification of display/demo products.
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Sample labelling and documentation review.
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On-site compliance planning and guidance.
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Risk assessment and advertising approval advisory.