Pharmaceutical Rights in Bahrain

The NHRA controls all pharmaceutical activity in Bahrain, from drug approval to retail pricing:

• Drug registration: All medications sold in Bahrain must be registered with the NHRA and meet safety and efficacy standards before reaching pharmacies.
• Prescription requirements: Controlled and prescription medications can only be dispensed with a valid prescription from a licensed doctor. Pharmacies selling prescription drugs without prescriptions face licence suspension.
• Right to information: Pharmacists must provide clear instructions on dosage, side effects, interactions, and storage — in a language you understand.
• Generic alternatives: You can request generic versions of branded medications. Generics registered with the NHRA are equally safe and typically much cheaper.
• Price caps: The NHRA sets maximum retail prices for registered medications. Pharmacies charging above the approved price are violating the law.
• Controlled substances: Narcotics and psychotropic drugs are strictly controlled. Possession without a valid prescription is a criminal offence carrying imprisonment.

Law No. 15 of 2007 — narcotic and psychotropic substances

The principal controlled-substances statute is Law No. 15 of 2007 on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. It establishes schedules of controlled substances and penalties including imprisonment and deportation for non-nationals. Trafficking offences carry the most severe penalties, including life imprisonment and — in the most serious cases — capital punishment.

Pregabalin and gabapentin — Schedule 4 Group 2 (NHRA Edict 14/2020)

Under NHRA Edict No. 14 of 2020, pregabalin and gabapentin were reclassified to Schedule 4, Group 2 of the controlled-substances schedules. Importing or possessing these medicines without a valid Bahraini prescription — including as personal travel medication — can lead to arrest on arrival. Travellers must carry a prescription and, where required, an NHRA import permit.

Track-and-trace — NHRA Decision No. 41 of 2017

NHRA Decision No. 41 of 2017 introduced the pharmaceutical track-and-trace system requiring 2D DataMatrix barcodes and serialisation data on medicine packs, enabling verification of authenticity and detection of falsified medicines across the supply chain.