Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does this activity cover?
It covers bulk trade in medicines, medical devices and supplies, sold on to licensed buyers.
2. Do I need third-party approval?
Yes. The Emirates Drug Establishment must approve this activity before Meydan Free Zone can issue the license.
3. Can I sell medicines direct to patients?
No. Handing medicines to the public is pharmacy work and needs Dubai Health Authority approval.
4. Can I run a drug store under this code?
No. A drug store sits under 4649.99 and needs its own approval.
5. Can I make medicines or devices myself?
No. Making them is a separate activity under its own code.
Topic Summary
A Fast-Growing Market Worth Billions
The UAE medicines market was valued at USD 4.45 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 8.59 billion by 2034, growing at roughly 7% per year. An ageing population and rising rates of long-term illness are the main drivers behind this sustained demand.
Who This Wholesale Activity Is Designed For
This activity suits pharmaceutical importers who manage cold-chain logistics and record keeping, as well as medical goods suppliers serving clinics, hospitals and labs on repeat contracts. If you operate in bulk supply rather than retail, this is the correct classification.
What Products Fall Under This Code
The activity covers prescription medicines, over-the-counter drugs, medical devices, single-use supplies such as gloves and syringes, and test kits. Each product type serves a distinct buyer segment, from licensed pharmacies to hospital procurement teams.
Key Operational Requirements to Keep in Mind
Businesses must maintain proper temperature-controlled storage and rigorous supply-chain record keeping throughout their operations. These requirements sit at the core of the activity and are not optional add-ons.
Mandatory Pre-Approval From Emirates Drug Establishment
Before Meydan Free Zone can issue a business license for this activity, operators must obtain third-party approval from the Emirates Drug Establishment. This extra compliance step sets pharmaceutical wholesale apart from most other goods categories in the same class.
Clear Boundaries on What You Cannot Do
This license does not permit dispensing medicines directly to the public, which requires a separate pharmacy license and Dubai Health Authority approval. Manufacturing medicines or devices, and running a drug store, also fall outside this activity code.
How to Open a Wholesale of Pharmaceutical and Medical Goods in Dubai with Meydan Free Zone
This activity covers the bulk supply of medicines and medical goods to licensed buyers. Traders import the stock, store it with care and then sell it on. Their customers are pharmacies, clinics, hospitals and other traders. This is the most closely controlled part of the household goods class.
The market is growing at a solid pace. The UAE medicines market was worth USD 4.45 billion in 2025 and should reach USD 8.59 billion by 2034.1 That points to growth of about 7% a year right across the period.1 Long term illness and an older population both drive the trend.
Medical goods add a second stream of demand. The UAE medical device market stood at USD 1.92 billion in 2023 and has grown faster still.2 Hospitals, clinics and labs all reorder on set cycles through the year. The UAE also buys in most of what it uses, so getting stock in matters.
How fast the UAE medicines market is growing
Whether you supply pharmacies, clinics, hospitals or other traders, this activity covers bulk trade in medicines and medical goods. The figures below show the market behind it.
Sources: IMARC Group (2026), MarkNtel Advisors (2025)
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Who is this activity for?
What this activity covers
This code covers wholesale trade in medicines and medical goods. It carries an approval step that most of the class does not.
- Bulk import and supply of registered medicines
- Bulk trade in medical devices and single use supplies
- Storage at the right temperature and with proper handling
- Supply to pharmacies, clinics, hospitals and other traders
- Record keeping and tracking across the supply chain
Product scope
What falls outside this activity
This activity does not cover handing medicines to the public, which is pharmacy work under a separate code and needs Dubai Health Authority approval. Running a drug store sits under 4649.99 and needs its own approval. Making medicines or devices is a separate activity. The class guidelines also place office furniture and recording media outside this class.
In short, you can import and supply medicines to licensed buyers, but you cannot hand them to patients.
Compliance
THIRD-PARTY APPROVAL
This activity requires pre-approval from the Emirates Drug Establishment before a business license can be issued by Meydan Free Zone.
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING COMPLIANCE
This business activity is not subject to AML compliance requirements.
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Citations
1. IMARC Group, UAE Pharmaceutical Market Size, Share and Forecast to 2034, 2026.
2. MarkNtel Advisors, UAE Medical Devices Market Size and Forecast, 2025.
