Brunei publishes halal pharmaceutical guidelines

Tue, 12 Jan 2010

Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei - Brunei has produced what are believed to be the world's first halal pharmaceutical guidelines to promote medicine production that conforms to the Muslim religion, a newspaper reported Tuesday. The guidelines were endorsed by the Brunei Islamic Religious Council last week, the Borneo Bulletin said.

Vincent Cheong, the chief executive of the Brunei Economic Development Board, said he hoped the guidelines would put Brunei at the forefront of halal medical and health product manufacturing.

Viva Pharmaceutical Inc, a Canadian company, has applied for permission to invest 12 million dollars in Brunei to manufacture and distribute halal-certified medicines, vitamins and nutritional supplements in the region, he said.

The investment was expected to create about 100 new jobs.

The country wants to export most of the pharmaceutical products because Brunei's home market is small, Cheong said.

The predominantly Muslim country might also produce similar guidelines for the production of halal cosmetics, he said.

The global halal market was estimated to be worth about 1 trillion to 2 trillion dollars per year.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/303258,brunei-publishes-halal-pharmaceutical-guidelines.html.