Core Viewpoint - Algeria's government is enhancing its pharmaceutical industry by establishing new production facilities in the southern provinces to achieve self-sufficiency and ensure national drug supply [1] Group 1: New Production Facilities - The state-owned pharmaceutical group Saidal will build new drug production plants in the southern provinces of Ouled Djellal, Ouargla, and Tamanrasset [1] - The new factories aim to decentralize production and better meet regional demands while strengthening industrial development in the south [1] Group 2: Economic and Employment Impact - The initiative is expected to create job opportunities and promote economic development in the inland and southern provinces [1] - Collaboration with the Algerian Investment Promotion Agency will support the development of pharmaceutical projects utilizing local land resources [1] Group 3: Local Production Goals - Plans include the local production of key pharmaceutical raw materials, covering diabetes medications, cancer drugs, heart disease treatments, and antibiotics [1] - Some strategic projects are anticipated to commence production by the end of 2026, with local production of dental anesthetics starting next year to address supply shortages [1] Group 4: Overall Objectives - The overarching goals are to enhance the autonomy of the pharmaceutical industry, reduce reliance on imports, ensure drug supply, and promote balanced economic development across regions [1]

Core Viewpoint - The eleventh batch of national organized drug procurement is set to officially announce its selection results, with new rules focusing on stabilizing clinical use, ensuring quality, preventing excessive competition, and avoiding collusion, thereby fostering a healthy environment for the pharmaceutical industry [1] Group 1: Selection Results and Impact - The results of the eleventh batch of drug procurement will be officially announced, with patients expected to access a new batch of quality and affordable drugs by February 2026 [1] - A total of 272 companies with 55 varieties and 453 products have obtained proposed selection qualifications, increasing the total number of drug varieties included in national procurement to 490 [1] - Over 70% of the reported quantities were successful, with mainstream companies that have strong supply capabilities and quality assurance mostly selected [2] Group 2: New Rules and Quality Control - The new procurement rules emphasize quality control, raising the quality threshold for companies and requiring that selected drugs have no quality issues in the past two years [2][3] - The introduction of a "reference price" mechanism aims to prevent extreme low pricing and encourages rational bidding among companies [4][5] - The procurement process has seen a significant increase in competition, with some products having up to 48 companies competing, indicating a robust supply capacity in the pharmaceutical industry [7] Group 3: Industry Challenges and Future Directions - The industry faces challenges related to low profit margins for selected drugs, which may lead to concerns about quality and sustainability in the long term [6] - Experts suggest that the "anti-involution" measures should not only focus on procurement but also guide companies in scientific project initiation to avoid excessive competition in the same drug category [8]