The government of Kenya has stopped the parallel importation of medicines and other health technologies, a window that allowed the importation of medicines without the patent holder’s consent.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced the decision, saying the move is intended to ensure all medicines and health technologies entering the country meet approved quality, safety and efficacy standards.
In a statement on Thursday, July 2, Duale said medicines will now enter the country only through approved import channels, enabling regulators to monitor their quality and trace them throughout the supply chain.
“We decided to clean up the market by stopping all parallel imports, which had become rampant and caused significant problems in our country. As we speak, we have stopped the parallel importation of medicines and other health technologies. If you were in that business, it is time to look for another one,” Duale said.
He said no applications for the parallel importation of medicines have been approved since October 1, 2025.
“Since October 1, 2025, not a single parallel import has been approved for entry into the country, and I do not believe any will be approved again. We made a deliberate decision to clean up the market and end parallel imports.”
Study Exposes Nairobi Pharmacies Stocking Illegal Imported Drugs
The announcement comes days after a study raised concerns over the sale of unauthorized parallel-imported medicines in Nairobi.
A study by consultants from Mount Kenya University (MKU) found that about nine out of every 10 pharmacies surveyed across the city stocked imported medicines that did not comply with Kenyan regulations.
The study, conducted between September 1, 2023, and October 31, 2024, covered 2,348 pharmaceutical outlets across Nairobi’s 85 wards and found that 90 per cent stocked at least one unauthorized parallel-imported medicine.
Researchers carried out a more detailed assessment in Kilimani, Parklands, Kangemi, Korogocho, Njiru and Roysambu, selecting the six wards based on their socioeconomic characteristics and proximity to Nairobi’s Central Business District.
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22 Medicines Failed Regulatory Checks as Packaging and Storage Concerns Raised
The study identified 22 parallel-imported medicines, most of them used to treat chronic illnesses including heart disease, diabetes, urinary disorders and mental health conditions.
It also found that nearly half of the medicines were already listed on Kenya’s Essential Medicines List and had lower-cost generic alternatives available locally, with some having more than 10 generic versions on the market.
All 22 medicines reviewed failed to meet at least one regulatory requirement.
About 90 per cent had packaging written entirely in foreign languages, mainly Turkish, making it difficult for patients and healthcare workers to read dosage instructions, storage requirements, possible side effects and other safety information.
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The researchers also found that 45 per cent of the medicines carried storage instructions intended for cooler European climates rather than Kenya’s tropical conditions, raising concerns about their stability and effectiveness.
In one case, a diabetes medicine carried conflicting storage instructions on the same package, a discrepancy the researchers said raised questions about the product’s authenticity.
Parallel importation had been legally permitted in Kenya since 2019 under regulations introduced to improve access to medicines and lower costs.
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