US-approved medicines not yet registered in the Gulf

Of 50 medicines approved by the US FDA between February 2024 and September 2026, 35 did not appear in either the Saudi SFDA drugs list or the Abu Dhabi DoH drug code list when we checked on 17 October 2026.

The tracker

Select a column heading to sort. Use the search box or the filter to narrow the list. On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column. The UAE column uses the Abu Dhabi DoH drug code list only, not the federal register.

Showing 50 of 50 medicines

How we built this list

US approvals. We took novel approvals from the FDA's own published lists: the CDER novel drug approval pages for 2024, 2025 and 2026, the CBER biologics license approval pages for the same years, and the CBER list of approved cellular and gene therapy products. Fayuvi was confirmed from the FDA press release of 17 September 2026. We kept medicines for rare diseases, for cancer, or gene and cell therapies. Brand name, generic name, developer, approval date and approved use come from those FDA pages and from the FDA Drugs@FDA database.

Saudi Arabia. We downloaded every entry of the SFDA drugs list, 9,173 entries on 17 October 2026, and searched each medicine by brand name, generic name and any known brand name used outside the US. We also checked the SFDA scientific news page for registration announcements. As a control, we confirmed that older therapies such as Zolgensma and Casgevy do appear in the same list.

United Arab Emirates. We searched the Abu Dhabi Department of Health drug code list (Drugs.xlsx, release dated 26 September 2026, on the DoH Shafafiya portal). This list covers medicines coded for use in Abu Dhabi. It is not the federal register, so we call it the Abu Dhabi DoH list. A listing there may reflect registration or another import route. The federal Emirates Drug Establishment online directory showed only eight sample entries when we checked, so federal and Dubai status is not confirmed for any medicine here.

Kuwait and Qatar. We did not find a public, searchable drug register for either country, so these columns say "Not checked".

Re-check. On 17 October 2026 we downloaded the Abu Dhabi DoH list again and re-ran all 50 medicines: every result matched. We also re-checked a sample of FDA approval dates against the live FDA 2026 page.

What "Not found" means

"Not found" means the medicine did not appear in that public list on 17 October 2026. It does not mean the medicine is unavailable in that country. Lists can lag behind approvals, a medicine can be listed under a different name, and some medicines reach patients through special import permits that never appear on a public list. "Listed" means we found at least one entry; it does not tell you whether a given hospital stocks it.

How patients reach these medicines before local registration

When a medicine is approved in the US but not yet registered locally, there are a few general routes. Each depends on the country, the medicine and the patient's medical situation, and none is guaranteed.

• Named patient or special import permission. In many countries a hospital or treating physician can ask the national regulator for permission to import an unregistered medicine for one named patient. The physician makes the medical case and the regulator decides. In Saudi Arabia, the SFDA runs a Named Patient Program and a Special Access Program. See our answers page for the sources.
• Manufacturer access programs. Some developers run expanded access programs for patients who cannot join a clinical trial. The developer sets eligibility, and the treating physician applies.
• Clinical trials. Some of these medicines are still being studied, and trials may be open in the region or abroad.
• Treatment at a specialist center. Many gene and cell therapies are only given at qualified treatment centers, so patients usually travel to receive them.

How Reserve Meds helps

Reserve Meds is a digital health company. Medicines are supplied through a US-licensed pharmaceutical wholesale partner. We coordinate access to FDA-approved medicines: we help families and their treating physicians understand which route may apply, prepare the paperwork, and arrange compliant logistics once the regulator approves. We do not give medical advice, and every treatment decision belongs to the patient's physician and the regulator. Price: quote on request. Your coordination fee is quoted in writing for your case before you commit. No hidden charges.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. US FDA, Novel Drug Approvals for 2024 (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
2. US FDA, Novel Drug Approvals for 2025 (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
3. US FDA, Novel Drug Approvals for 2026 (page current as of 9 Oct 2026; accessed 17 Oct 2026)
4. US FDA CBER, 2024 Biological License Application Approvals (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
5. US FDA CBER, 2025 Biological License Application Approvals (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
6. US FDA CBER, 2026 Biological License Application Approvals (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
7. US FDA, Approved Cellular and Gene Therapy Products (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
8. US FDA press release, first gene therapy for Sanfilippo syndrome type A, 17 Sep 2026 (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
9. Saudi Food and Drug Authority, Drugs List (9,173 entries downloaded 17 Oct 2026)
10. Saudi Food and Drug Authority, scientific news (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
11. Abu Dhabi Department of Health, drug code list (Drugs.xlsx), release 26 Sep 2026 (downloaded 17 Oct 2026)
12. Emirates Drug Establishment, drug directory (only sample entries shown on 17 Oct 2026)

Important notice

This page is general information only. It is not medical advice, and it is not a statement about whether any medicine is right for any patient. Registers change often. Always confirm current status with the relevant regulator, your treating physician and the manufacturer. Medicine names and trademarks belong to their owners. Reserve Meds has no affiliation with the developers listed.

Reviewed by the Reserve Meds clinical operations team. Last reviewed 17 October 2026. Editorial standards.

Related: Pending FDA decisions · Answers for Gulf families · Access guides · Drug catalog