Welcome to the second entry in our blog series on pharmaceutical serialization across the Middle East. In this instalment, we focus on the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a regional leader in implementing pharmaceutical traceability through its Tatmeen platform.
As of April 2025, the UAE has made remarkable progress in establishing a robust serialization framework governed by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP). Since the official launch of Tatmeen in December 2022, the country has built one of the most advanced track-and-trace systems in the region, ensuring full visibility and accountability across its pharmaceutical supply chain. This article explores the UAE’s current serialization status, key regulations, and what's ahead for the industry.
UAE Tatmeen: Elevating Pharmaceutical Traceability in the UAE
In an era where supply chain transparency and public health assurance are paramount, the United Arab Emirates has taken a significant leap forward with Tatmeen, its national pharmaceutical traceability platform. Launched by the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), Tatmeen is a comprehensive GS1-based track-and-trace system designed to monitor every movement of pharmaceutical products across the country—from production to the final point of dispensation.
What Is Tatmeen?
Introduced through Ministerial Decree No. (73) of 2021, Tatmeen is a digital platform that ensures the integrity, safety, and quality of pharmaceutical drugs in the UAE. The decree mandates that all pharmaceutical products—whether imported or locally manufactured—must be registered and tracked through Tatmeen before being made available in the UAE market. The platform officially went live on December 13, 2022, marking a transformative milestone in healthcare logistics and regulatory compliance.
Why Tatmeen Matters
Tatmeen enhances supply chain visibility, combats counterfeit drugs, and aligns the UAE with global best practices in pharmaceutical traceability. It supports 2D Data Matrix coding, utilizing GS1 global standards to enable serialization, aggregation, and event-based tracking of medicinal products throughout the supply chain.
Key Regulatory Requirements
Under the framework set by MoHAP, several articles within the ministerial decree establish the foundation for pharmaceutical traceability:
- Article 3: All medicinal products must be linked to Tatmeen prior to importation or local trade.
- Article 4: A 2D coding system, based on GS1 GTIN and GLN standards, must be applied to all pharmaceutical items. GLNs are used to monitor ownership transitions.
- Article 5: The 2D code must include the following data elements:
- Global Trade Item Number (GTIN)
- Randomized Serial Number (with 1 in 10,000 randomization)
- Expiry Date
- Batch or Lot Number
Who Is Involved?
Tatmeen encompasses all players in the pharmaceutical supply chain. These include:
- Marketing Authorization Holders (MAHs): Entities that own or manufacture medicines and are responsible for product serialization and commissioning messages to Tatmeen.
- Licensed Agents: Local distributors that obtain import permits from MoHAP and manage the entry of pharmaceutical goods into the UAE.
- Third-Party Logistics Providers (3PLs): Companies involved in storing and distributing pharmaceuticals. While not yet registered directly with MoHAP, 3PLs must ensure their data is present in Tatmeen via BrandSync and have a valid GLN.
- Dispensaries: Pharmacies, clinics, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers that dispense medications to patients. They are responsible for reporting dispensing events to the Tatmeen system.
Some entities may play multiple roles in the supply chain and are responsible for handling all corresponding traceability messages.
Implementation Prerequisites
To participate in Tatmeen, companies must:
- Register their products in both the MoHAP and BrandSync GS1 systems.
- Register their entities as supply chain partners with a valid GS1 Global Location Number (GLN).
Aggregation Requirements
Tatmeen enforces strict aggregation protocols:
- Manufacturers must aggregate product packaging using Serial Shipping Container Codes (SSCCs), with at least two levels of packaging aggregation.
- Distributors or trade partners who disaggregate must re-aggregate at least one level using their own SSCCs.
Reporting Traceability Events
All traceability events must be recorded and reported in GS1 EPCIS format, with each event represented by an individual file (max 15MB). Reports must be submitted immediately after the event occurs.
Manufacturer Responsibilities
- Serialization
- Commissioning
- Aggregation
Trade Partner Responsibilities
- Importation Events: Reporting goods receipt prior to customs clearance.
- Sampling & Inspection: During import and customs clearance phases.
- Product Transfers: Both sending and receiving parties must report shipment and return events.
- Aggregation & Disaggregation updates.
- Exception Events: Including destruction, damage, and theft.
Dispensary (Pharmacy & Hospital) Responsibilities
Dispensaries—such as pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, and rehabilitation centers—are responsible for reporting dispensing events to Tatmeen. These events confirm the final handover of a medicinal product to the end user (patient). This final traceability step ensures that every serialized product is tracked from its origin to the point of use.
Dispensaries must:
- Scan and log the 2D Data Matrix code at the time of dispensing.
- Submit the dispensing message in GS1 EPCIS format.
- Ensure accurate and timely reporting to reflect the product's movement out of the supply chain.
This role is essential in closing the traceability loop and safeguarding the patient experience.
Tatmeen in Action: Achievements So Far
Since going live, Tatmeen has seen widespread adoption across the UAE’s pharmaceutical ecosystem. As of early 2024:
- Over 280 million traceability transactions have been recorded.
- More than 67 million parcels have been scanned.
- 7,300 pharmaceutical products have been registered.
- 546 pharmaceutical manufacturers, 601 distributors, and 4,600+ healthcare institutions are active on the platform.
These achievements underscore Tatmeen’s critical role in strengthening public health infrastructure and streamlining pharmaceutical logistics.
Empowering Consumers
To support consumer safety, Tatmeen now offers a mobile application (available on Android), enabling individuals to scan the 2D Data Matrix on drug packaging to verify product authenticity. This fosters trust and transparency at the patient level, giving people direct access to vital product information.
What’s Next?
While Tatmeen continues to evolve, a few things remain pending:
- Fee Structure: MoHAP has yet to officially announce the pricing model for Tatmeen-related services. Stakeholders are advised to monitor the official website for future updates.
- Expanded Scope: Tatmeen currently includes both registered and unregistered pharmaceuticals (including biologicals), but excludes dietary supplements at this stage.
Conclusion
Tatmeen represents a significant step toward safer, smarter, and more accountable pharmaceutical practices in the UAE. By integrating cutting-edge GS1 technology and involving every stakeholder in the drug supply chain—including dispensaries—it ensures end-to-end traceability. For pharmaceutical companies, healthcare providers, and consumers alike, Tatmeen sets a new benchmark in quality assurance and supply chain integrity.
Stay tuned for the next blog in our series as we explore serialization developments in Bahrain—where the National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) is advancing pharmaceutical traceability through structured GS1-based initiatives.
How can CosmoTrace help?
We provide serialization consulting, implementation & integration services to help our clients with managing the end-to-end serialization projects and preparing them for the existing and upcoming regulations across the globe.
We are well versed with the compliance regulations for various markets and can help you with implementing the GCC pharmaceutical serialization requirements.
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Disclaimer
This information is being provided ‘As Is’ with no claims of suitability for a particular purpose. It represents just one possible interpretation of information available in the public domain or through membership organizations, and that interpretation is subject to change. This information does not constitute legal advice. Users must refer to the source material for the complete requirements and form their own interpretation before making business decisions. Please use the references below to follow the updates at the source.