As of 23 October 2026 the Egyptian Drug Authority says, in press reports of its 14 October statement, that no official decision to raise medicine prices has been issued. A trade-body official was reported describing a study of 40 items. This page keeps the two apart, says who sets prices, and gives the next re-check date.
As of 23 October 2026, the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) says no official decision has been issued to raise medicine prices from January 2027, according to press reports of its statement of 14 October. A trade-body official was reported the next day describing a study of 40 items. This page keeps the two apart and does not predict prices.
It rests on press reports and the Authority’s own pages. It is not a price list and not advice on what to buy.
Last checked: 23 October 2026. This subject moves fast, so read the page as a record of what was said by that date. Next re-check planned: 6 November 2026. The page is updated if anything has changed.
Have medicine prices gone up? What the Egyptian Drug Authority said
Press reports of 14 October 2026 (Banker News, Vetogate, RT Arabic) say the Authority issued an official statement. As reported, it said that social-media reports of new price increases from January are untrue and that no decisions have been issued on the matter (Banker News headlines it January 2027). It also said the market is stable, with medicines and therapeutic alternatives regularly available, and urged people to check before sharing price information and to rely on its official channels.
The Authority’s news page lists items dated 7 to 20 October 2026 (read 23 October 2026), and none is this statement. We have not seen its original text, so we quote it only as the press reports it.
Medicine price rise in Egypt: who said what, and when?
| Date reported | Who | What was reported | Reported by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 October 2026 | The Egyptian Drug Authority, in a statement | Reports of new increases from January are untrue, and no decisions have been issued. The market is stable. | Banker News, Vetogate, RT Arabic |
| 15 October 2026 | Dr Ali Ouf, head of the drug division at the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (a trade body, not the regulator) | A re-pricing study covers 40 items, not 400. No current direction to move prices. The last increase was in October 2024. | Banker News |
| 22 October 2026 | Dr Yassin Ragaei, the Authority’s official spokesperson, in a phone interview on a TV channel the day before | Denied the recent reports of new January increases. Said the Authority alone is responsible for pricing medicines. | Twasl News |
All three reports read on 23 October 2026. The first and third rows are the Authority speaking, as reported. The second is a trade body, which does not set prices.
The trade-body official’s remarks are a claim, not a decision. RT Arabic’s report of 14 October attributes different figures to him: about 400 re-pricing requests filed since July, about 10% of them approved, and about 40 items approved with increases from January. The Authority’s statement, as RT Arabic reports it, denies that decisions were issued to raise prices from January.
Who sets the price of a medicine in Egypt?
According to the Authority’s spokesperson, speaking on a TV channel on 21 October 2026 and reported by Twasl News on 22 October, the Authority alone is responsible for pricing medicines, which are subject to compulsory pricing («التسعير الجبري»). In August 2025 the Authority’s head, Dr Ali El-Ghamrawy, named the dollar exchange rate as the main factor in moving medicine prices, on the sidelines of a press conference (Amwal Al-Ghad, 7 August 2025).
On 7 October 2026 the Authority’s news page published an item on a BMI–Fitch report that praised a decision by its head to develop the drug-pricing framework. The item gives no figures or start date, and does not say whether any price will change.
In Egypt: where do I follow the official word?
- The Authority’s news page. The site prints the number 15301 in its header and contact details (read 23 October 2026).
- A medicine shortage. On 15 October 2026 Banker News reported the trade-body official advising anyone facing one to contact the Authority’s hotline (Banker News).
- Before you talk to the pharmacist. How to read a medicine leaflet in Egypt, and what to ask your pharmacist, and how to check a medicine or contact lens against Egyptian Drug Authority warnings.
If a price or a shortage makes you think of changing or stopping a medicine you take, ask your doctor or pharmacist first.
Frequently asked questions
Will medicine prices rise in Egypt in January 2027?
This page cannot predict it. As of 23 October 2026, the Authority says, in press reports of its 14 October statement, that reports of new increases from January are untrue and that no decisions have been issued.
What did the Egyptian Drug Authority say about medicine prices?
As the press reported on 14 October 2026: reports of new increases from January are untrue, and no decisions have been issued. The statement is not on the Authority’s news page (read 23 October 2026).
Is the trade body’s study of 40 items a decision to raise prices?
Not as Banker News reported it on 15 October 2026: the official described a study of 40 items and said there was no current direction to move prices. A study is not a decision, and he does not set prices.
Who sets medicine prices in Egypt?
The Authority alone, according to its spokesperson on 21 October 2026, as Twasl News reported on 22 October.
Where do I report a medicine shortage?
On 15 October 2026 Banker News reported a trade-body official advising people to contact the Authority’s hotline. The Authority’s site shows 15301 in its header and under contact details (read 23 October 2026), but we have not confirmed that this is the hotline he meant. It is not a medical emergency line: in an emergency, go to the nearest emergency department.
Medigize is a non-diagnostic navigation tool. This is general information, not medical advice. In an emergency, call an ambulance or go to the nearest emergency department.
Sources
- Egyptian Drug Authority: news, read 23 October 2026
- Egyptian Drug Authority: news item of 7 October 2026 on a BMI–Fitch report on the drug-pricing framework, read 23 October 2026
- Banker News: the Authority’s statement on price increases, 14 October 2026, read 23 October 2026
- Vetogate: the Authority’s statement, 14 October 2026, read 23 October 2026
- RT Arabic: the Authority’s statement and the drug-division head’s remarks, 14 October 2026, read 23 October 2026
- Banker News: the drug division of the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce, 15 October 2026, read 23 October 2026
- Twasl News (credits Shorouk News): the Authority’s spokesperson, 22 October 2026, read 23 October 2026
- Amwal Al-Ghad: the Authority’s head on pricing, 7 August 2025, read 23 October 2026
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