The Ministry of Health announced that all promotional claims must rely on published scientific literature or the officially approved product information leaflet, with benefits, risks and contraindications presented in a balanced format. Ministerial Decree No. 296 of 2026 prohibits promotion of any use outside the locally registered indications and bars unsubstantiated superlatives such as safest or most effective. The decree further requires prior approval for every piece of promotional material whether distributed in print, electronically or at professional gatherings.
Safety-related content including side-effect profiles and warning statements must receive explicit clearance from the Kuwait Pharmacovigilance Center before use, the ministry stated. Companies seeking to conduct promotional activities must first obtain a dedicated permit for each representative from the Pharmaceutical Inspection and Licensing Department. Such permits are issued on an individual non-transferable basis for periods not exceeding one year and demand annual renewal.
Representatives may enter ministry hospitals or clinics solely after securing an advance appointment and approval from the competent authority, according to the decree. Access remains forbidden to patient rooms, emergency departments, operating suites and any location providing direct clinical care. All meetings must occur in pre-designated areas reserved for professional education or administrative discussions.
Direct contact between representatives and members of procurement or technical evaluation committees is banned, with all communications required to pass through the committee rapporteur. The decree also prohibits offering gifts, commissions or any form of personal incentive capable of influencing prescribing or purchasing choices. Drug samples may circulate only through formal ministry channels, must carry prominent free-sample labeling and maintain at least six months of remaining shelf life.
Failure to observe the new standards can trigger warnings, permit suspension or referral to disciplinary bodies, the Ministry of Health warned. A three-month transitional period has been granted to allow companies and representatives to align their practices with the updated requirements before full implementation. The decree was published in the official Kuwait Al-Youm gazette on the day of issuance.
This latest regulatory step continues the ministry’s multi-year effort to raise standards across the pharmaceutical sector, following a series of decisions in December 2025 that updated pharmacovigilance procedures and medicine registration protocols.
