The Halal Pharmaceutical Industry Is Steadily Gaining Popularity and Growing Fast

The Halal pharmaceutical industry is steadily gaining popularity and growing fast

Halal-observing people make up nearly a quarter of the world''s population, and as this population grows and more and more consumers recognize and need Halal products, the pharmaceutical industry''s demand for Halal-certified products is increasing day by day.

Over the past two years, the Halal pharmaceutical industry has steadily gained popularity worldwide, and this emerging market is growing fast, with output value expected to reach USD 174.59 billion by 2025. We rely on modern medicine to treat all kinds of illnesses, whether taking a fast painkiller for a headache or seeing a doctor when our knee hurts... we all depend on the pharmaceutical industry. But for Halal-observing people and consumers who want to choose Halal medicines, they may unknowingly take medicines containing non-Halal ingredients (or excipients), or medicines made in ways that do not conform to Islamic values. Therefore, countries with a Halal-observing majority are trying to establish brand-new safety-quality standards and normative frameworks to guide the Halal certification process for medicines.

I. What you need to know about Halal pharmaceuticals

Halal medicines are medicines that contain Halal ingredients and are produced according to Islamic rules. To obtain Halal certification, every ingredient in the medicine must have a traceable source. Halal medicines must not contain any ingredients from pigs, alcohol, blood, hunted animals, human organs, or insects; animal-derived ingredients must come from animals permitted to be slaughtered, slaughtered by the method prescribed by Islamic law.

In addition, the ingredients used in Halal medicines must be safe for the human body, must not be toxic, and must not be prepared using equipment contaminated by impurities. During preparation, processing, handling, packaging, storage, and distribution, Halal medicines must be handled separately from other medicine ingredients that do not meet the above requirements.

II. The awakening of the Halal pharmaceutical industry

When it comes to over-the-counter drugs, there is generally a lack of understanding about whether they have Halal certification. Most medicines contain large amounts of alcohol or questionable animal by-product ingredients. In countries with a Halal-observing majority, consumers can easily find medicines with Halal certification. But when uncertain, Halal consumers had better first seek medicines with Halal certification, or scan the ingredient list and confirm with a Halal-observing pharmacist.

In the modern pharmaceutical industry, there is still much work to be done to produce Halal medicines. To develop the Halal medicine market, Halal certification bodies need to ensure that Halal medicines undergo good management and Halal certification procedures. In addition, publicity and education are also crucial; doctors need to understand the contents of the medicines they prescribe and inform the public accordingly.

SINOQUAL''s audit team is conducting factory-audit training in a pharmaceutical production workshop

As the popularity of Halal pharmaceuticals grows, in countries such as Australia, the US, and Singapore, the market has begun to invest in Halal pharmacies.

III. Malaysia''s Halal pharmaceutical companies

In Malaysia, more than half the population follows Islam, so Malaysia has also become a pioneer of global Halal pharmaceutical standards. In 2012, they issued the world''s first Halal medicine certification. Their latest Halal certification standard has expanded the scope of Halal certification bodies to meet the needs of biological products and Halal vaccine research.

The Malaysian government launched a comprehensive set of guidelines called the Malaysian Standard for Halal Pharmaceuticals: General Guidelines. This provides pharmaceutical companies with the necessary guidelines benefiting public health and safety, helps domestic drug manufacturers successfully enter the global Halal pharmaceutical market, and provides Halal consumers with reassuring medicine choices.

Conclusion

In recent years, SINOQUAL has also handled HALAL Halal certification for many domestic drug production plants and pharmaceutical enterprises, with certification content covering traditional Chinese patent medicines, Western medicines, pharmaceutical excipients, drug intermediates, drug raw materials (amino acids, vitamins, plant extracts), COVID-19 vaccines, and more.

On the certification standards for medicines and their related raw materials, SINOQUAL insists that pharmaceutical products must meet safety, efficacy, quality, and hygiene requirements before they can obtain HALAL Halal certification. This both provides pharmaceutical companies with a stepping stone into the global Halal pharmaceutical product market and safeguards the health and safety of Halal consumers.