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?
| IMPORTER Pharmaceutical importers and distributors | You bring medicines into the UAE and store them the right way. Cold chain and record keeping sit at the heart of the work. |
| MEDICAL SUPPLY Medical goods suppliers | You supply clinics, hospitals and labs with devices and supplies. Orders follow tender cycles and repeat contracts. |
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
| Prescription medicines | Registered drugs supplied to licensed buyers only. The largest share of the market by value. |
| Over the counter medicines | Lines sold without a prescription. These move faster than prescription stock. |
| Medical devices | Devices used to test and treat patients in clinics. Growing faster than medicines by percentage. |
| Medical supplies | Gloves, dressings, syringes and other single use items. Clinics reorder these constantly. |
| Test kits | Test kits and lab supplies. Demand rises with testing volumes. |
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.
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.