Medicine Import to Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq: A UK Supplier Guide

The Gulf Cooperation Council states receive the majority of written coverage on Middle East pharmaceutical import, but three markets sitting just beyond the GCC border deserve equal attention: Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. Combined, they account for more than 60 million people, operate some of the most respected tertiary hospitals in the Arab world, and carry procurement challenges that most published guides do not address.

Each of these markets runs a distinct regulatory system. Lebanon operates through the Ministry of Public Health and the Order of Pharmacists, Jordan through the Jordan Food and Drug Administration, and Iraq through a dual federal and Kurdistan Regional Government structure with Kimadia at the centre of public sector procurement. None of these three countries participates in the GCC centralised registration scheme, and none follows the documentation exactly as Saudi Arabia or the UAE would require.

This guide covers how hospitals, health ministries and licensed importers in Beirut, Amman, Baghdad and Erbil source medicines from a UK MHRA-licensed wholesaler. It is written for hospital procurement officers, pharmacy directors and supply chain managers who need a practical reference before engaging a UK supplier. For a companion guide on the GCC states, see our Saudi Arabia and UAE import guide.

Importing Medicines into Lebanon

The Regulator: Ministry of Public Health

The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), through its Pharmaceutical Department, regulates all medicine imports into the country. The MoPH issues import permits, maintains the national drug registry, enforces pricing controls, and oversees post-market pharmacovigilance. All licensed importers must be registered pharmacists or companies employing a qualified pharmacist in a technical capacity, and the Order of Pharmacists plays a parallel role in licensing the profession.

For a UK supplier exporting to Lebanon, the commercial counterparty is always a Lebanese licensed importer or hospital pharmacy with direct MoPH import authorisation. The UK supplier does not interact with the MoPH directly. Instead, the importer applies for the product-specific import permit using the documentation package prepared by the UK wholesaler, then handles customs clearance and local distribution.

Named Patient and Exceptional Import

Lebanon operates a named patient import pathway for UK-licensed medicines not yet registered in Lebanon, required for specific patients with no locally available therapeutic alternative. Applications are made by the treating hospital pharmacy or the patient's consulting physician, supported by clinical justification, evidence of local unavailability, and product documentation from the manufacturer or licensed wholesaler.

For cancer treatment, rare disease therapies and specialty hospital medicines, this pathway is the practical route into Lebanon. The American University of Beirut Medical Center, Hotel Dieu de France, Saint Joseph University Hospital and the Lebanese Hospital Geitaoui are among the major tertiary centres that operate named patient import programmes. See our Lebanon pharmaceutical supply service for the UK-side documentation we provide.

Economic and Payment Reality

Lebanon has operated under extended economic stress since 2019, with sustained currency depreciation and restrictions on foreign currency settlement through the banking system. For a UK supplier, this means contract terms, invoicing currency, and settlement mechanics are as important as the regulatory pathway. Hard currency transactions via approved Banque du Liban channels and pre-payment arrangements are common practical structures.

The MoPH import permit may be granted, the product may be GDP-compliant, but without workable payment terms the shipment stalls. Buyers should agree payment structures with the supplier before ordering.

Importing Medicines into Jordan

The Regulator: Jordan Food and Drug Administration

The Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) is the independent regulator responsible for all pharmaceutical affairs in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The JFDA oversees drug registration, manufacturing inspection, import control, pricing review and post-market surveillance. It operates from offices in Amman and works closely with the Jordan Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (JAPM) and the Jordan Pharmacists Association.

Jordan has one of the most capable pharmaceutical regulatory systems in the Arab world. The JFDA is a member of the Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme (PIC/S), recognises a defined list of reference authorities that includes the UK MHRA, and accepts the WHO Certification Scheme Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product for import purposes. For a UK MHRA-licensed wholesaler, this combination of factors makes Jordan one of the more predictable regulatory environments in the region.

Medical Tourism and Hospital Demand

Jordan is the leading medical tourism destination in the Levant, with Amman drawing patients from across the Arab world, North Africa and the wider Middle East. The King Hussein Cancer Center is the regional reference institution for oncology treatment and operates a sophisticated named patient import programme for advanced therapies. Jordan University Hospital, the Islamic Hospital, the Arab Medical Center, the King Abdullah University Hospital and the Royal Medical Services each maintain hospital pharmacy teams capable of managing complex imports.

For a UK supplier, the commercial reality is that Jordan hospital demand skews heavily toward specialty medicines: oncology, haematology, rare disease therapies, transplant medicine and advanced cardiology. Generic molecules are well supplied by the domestic manufacturing base, so UK wholesale demand concentrates in locally unregistered, named-patient import and shortage categories. See our Jordan pharmaceutical supply service for detail on how we support these hospitals.

Named Patient Pathway

The JFDA operates a named patient or exceptional use pathway for UK-licensed medicines not yet registered in Jordan, required for specific patients. The treating physician submits a clinical justification through the hospital pharmacy, documenting the diagnosis, the absence of registered alternatives in Jordan, and the rationale for the specific unregistered product. The JFDA reviews each application individually and retains full discretion over approval.

Quantities authorised under named patient imports are typically limited to a defined treatment course, ranging from a single cycle to six months of therapy depending on the medicine and clinical context. Refills require fresh applications. UK suppliers support these imports by passing on WHO-format Certificates of Pharmaceutical Product where available, batch documentation, and temperature records where the product is temperature-sensitive.

Importing Medicines into Iraq

The Regulators: Federal MoH and Kimadia

Iraq operates a dual regulatory structure. The federal Ministry of Health, based in Baghdad, is the national pharmaceutical authority responsible for drug registration, market authorisation, pharmacovigilance and supply oversight. Kimadia, the State Company for Marketing Drugs and Medical Appliances, sits under the MoH and functions as the centralised procurement body for the federal public hospital network. In the Kurdistan Region, the Kurdistan Regional Government Ministry of Health operates its own procurement and regulatory apparatus, with principal activity centred in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Duhok.

For a UK supplier, this means Iraq is three markets in practical terms: Kimadia public tender supply to federal government hospitals, Kurdistan public tender supply to KRG hospitals, and private sector supply to private hospitals and wholesale importers across the country. Each route has its own commercial logic, documentation requirements and lead times.

Kimadia Tender Process

Kimadia publishes pharmaceutical tenders on a rolling basis for medicines required across Iraq's public hospital network. Foreign suppliers participate through a locally registered Iraqi agent holding tender eligibility certification from Kimadia and the MoH. The agent submits the tender package incorporating the UK supplier's technical documentation, pricing and delivery terms. Tenders are evaluated on price, technical compliance and supplier track record.

For a UK MHRA-licensed wholesaler, Kimadia tender participation is viable where the supplier can provide a stable sourcing channel, competitive pricing, GDP-compliant cold chain, and the documentation package Kimadia requires. The product should hold a UK marketing authorisation.

Private Sector and KRG Hospitals

Private hospitals in Baghdad, Basra, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah operate independent procurement through licensed Iraqi importers. This route is significantly faster than Kimadia tender cycles and is the primary channel for named patient, specialty and urgent supply. Kurdistan public hospitals also procure separately, with KRG tenders published through the regional Ministry of Health and a distinct supplier registration process.

For oncology supply in particular, the regional reference centres include the Baghdad Medical City oncology unit, the Basra Oncology Centre and the Hiwa Cancer Hospital in Sulaymaniyah, which is one of the largest cancer treatment facilities in the Kurdistan Region. These institutions maintain active demand for advanced oncology molecules that often require named patient pathways to enter Iraq. See our Iraq pharmaceutical supply service for full detail on how we serve these markets.

Documentation Standard for Levant and Iraq Imports

While each country operates its own regulatory system, the core documentation package a UK MHRA-licensed wholesaler prepares is broadly consistent across Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. The table below summarises the standard documentation set, with country-specific variations noted.

Why a UK MHRA-Licensed Wholesaler

For hospital pharmacy directors in Beirut, Amman, Baghdad and Erbil, the practical reason to source from a UK MHRA-licensed wholesaler rather than a regional trader comes down to supply chain provenance. UK wholesalers operating under WDA(H) authorisation work to Good Distribution Practice with stock held at licensed storage sites, maintain batch traceability back to the licensed manufacturer, and provide genuine Certificates of Pharmaceutical Product issued by the MHRA under the WHO Certification Scheme.

Regional traders frequently source from parallel markets with opaque supply chains, creating risk of falsified medicines, broken cold chain and regulatory refusal at the destination border. Buyers should expect destination authorities to check Certificates of Pharmaceutical Product carefully. Iraqi Kimadia supplier qualification has also tightened, with verified manufacturer licence documentation now routinely demanded.

Euro Biom holds MHRA Wholesale Dealer Authorisation WDA(H) 59239, with export dispatch from a UK contract GDP storage site. Our compliance framework covers the full GDP requirement set. For Levant and Iraq supply, we coordinate the documentation package and carrier routing, working with the contract storage site and the hospital pharmacy or registered local importer at destination.

Working With Euro Biom

If you are a hospital procurement team in Lebanon, Jordan or Iraq looking to source a specific medicine from the UK, or a licensed importer wanting to establish a supply relationship with a UK MHRA-licensed wholesaler, our commercial team will respond to your enquiry the same working day. We support buyers using their own named-patient import route, handle emergency and institutional supply, and provide the UK-side documentation each of these markets requires.

For Iraqi federal tender or KRG public procurement, we work with your registered local agent on tender submissions. For private sector and named patient supply into Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq, we ship direct to the importer or hospital pharmacy as specified.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do Lebanese hospitals import medicines from the UK?

Lebanese hospitals import medicines from the UK through a local importer registered with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) Pharmaceutical Department and the Order of Pharmacists. The product must either hold a Lebanese marketing authorisation or be approved through the named patient import pathway for medicines not registered in Lebanon. The importer submits an import permit application to the MoPH, and the UK supplier prepares a Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product, batch documentation, and GDP-compliant shipping records. Hard currency payment settlement through Banque du Liban approved channels is a practical requirement given ongoing economic conditions.

What is Kimadia and how does it procure medicines for Iraqi hospitals?

Kimadia, the State Company for Marketing Drugs and Medical Appliances, is the Iraqi Ministry of Health body responsible for centralised public sector medicine procurement. Kimadia publishes tenders for registered medicines required across Iraq's federal public hospital network. Foreign suppliers participate through a registered Iraqi agent who holds the relevant import and tender eligibility documentation. Kurdistan Region hospitals procure separately through the Kurdistan Regional Government Ministry of Health. Private sector hospitals in Baghdad, Basra and Erbil source through independent licensed importers.

Can medicines not registered in Jordan be imported?

Yes. The Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) permits the import of medicines not registered in Jordan through a named patient or exceptional import pathway for specific patients requiring treatments with no locally registered alternative. Applications are typically submitted by the treating hospital pharmacy department, with clinical justification from the prescribing physician and documentation of local unavailability. The product must be licensed in a recognised reference country such as the UK, EU member states, or the United States. Major applicants include the King Hussein Cancer Center, Jordan University Hospital and the Royal Medical Services.

How long does it take to ship medicines from the UK to Lebanon, Jordan or Iraq?

Direct flights from London Heathrow to Amman take approximately 5.5 hours and to Beirut approximately 5 hours. Transit times depend on carrier routing and customs clearance; we confirm an estimate with each quote. Typical dispatch is within 24 to 72 hours of order confirmation, subject to availability. Iraqi shipments often route via Amman or Dubai for onward dispatch to Baghdad or Erbil.

Why work with a UK MHRA-licensed wholesaler rather than a regional trader?

A UK wholesaler holding MHRA Wholesale Dealer Authorisation operates under Good Distribution Practice (GDP), with batch traceability back to the licensed manufacturer and, where available, the MHRA-issued Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product passed on from the MA holder. Buyers should confirm any supplier sources only from licensed manufacturers, because opaque supply chains create risk of falsified medicines and regulatory refusal at the destination border. For hospitals in Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq, where counterfeit infiltration and border inspection have intensified, supplier provenance and GDP documentation are practical procurement requirements, not optional extras.