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Temperaments Determine Your Lifestyle

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The Iranian-Islamic traditional medicine emphatically gives prominence to each individual’s temperament – or to use the Persian equivalent ‘Mizaj’- as a determining and key factor in deciding one’s lifestyle.

In the Iranian-Islamic traditional medicine the excess or less of warmness and humidity define four essential temperaments of “Warm and Wet (sanguine or Damawiy)”, “Warm and Dry (choleric or Safrawiy)”, “Cold and Dry (melancholic or Saudawiy)” and “Cold and Wet (phlegmatic or Balghamiy)” respectively. The terms in the parentheses refer to four groups of material in the body (called “humors” or ‘Akhlat’) including blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm respectively. Words written in italic show original Persian terms in the ancient literature.

As each person’s temperament is distinctive- defining their distinguishing physical and behavioral characteristics- their lifestyle might vary from one another accordingly.

Not everyone can eat the same food or drinks since they have different temperaments which allow them to consume or advise them to cut down on some food items therefore there is no single prescription for everyone in the Iranian-Islamic traditional medicine.

Not everyone can consume the same amount of water, tea, or dairy products as others consume. Each individual should correspond to their temperaments to stay healthy and that’s where the Iranian-Islamic traditional medicine strength lies.

The Iranian-Islamic traditional medicine is an ancient paradigm for personalized medicine and prescription which individualizes healthcare for each person and in order to maintain one’s health all preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions must be individualized as well.

Health tips

Food stuff with warm Mizaj or warming characteristics (either in nature such as spices or after being heated like hot tea or hot water) can be harmful to people with warm Mizaj and relatively speaking they are more sensitive to them. Consequently such people are better not to eat up large quantities of food items with warm Mizaj and try to balance their diet by consuming food with cold Mizaj or cooling characteristics in order to add cooling effects to their bodies to balance it.

Same goes for the people with cold Mizaj who are better avoid consuming high amounts of food items with cooling characteristics (either in nature or after being cooled such as ice water). People with cold Mizaj should not drink much water in general particularly during cold seasons and once they get thirsty they are better not to drink ice water.

People with warm Mizaj have stronger digestive system and can properly digest heavy meals, however people with cold Mizaj, especially when their stomach is cold as well, display poor digestion symptoms and as a result they ought to consume limited amounts of food in accordance with their temperaments and avoid eating too much.

In some cases a person with a warm Mizaj might develop a cold and wet stomach so they have to reduce cold Mizaj food intake as well.

In general those with wet and cold or wet and warm temperaments are more likely to gain weight, so eating too much is harmful to their health. Nonetheless over-eating is not recommended to anyone.

Originally published on www.tehrantimes.com

Ethanol & Its Halal Status In Food Industries

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the-ethanol-halal-statusHalal Status of Ethanol

The word Khamr (alcoholic beverage), fermented fruits, was described in Quran 6 times; Alkhamr refers to the solution, which is produced from fruits or any natural sugar source by anaerobic fermentation and potentially could be used or lead to intoxication. The main ingredient of Alkhamer is ethanol, which is the chemical substance responsible for intoxication, the physiological state induced by the ingestion of ethanol where a person usually becomes pleasantly relaxed, with an easing of tension and anxieties. The control centre in the brain becomes less active, and inhibitory centre is less efficient and may lead to mild euphoria, talkativeness, decreased attention, and impaired judgment.

Complete intoxication is achieved when blood alcohol content (BAC) is ranging between 0.08-0.10% depending on gender, weight and age. Utilizing Widmark’s formula (Widmark 1981), a female with 55 kg weight, if consumed 10% (w/v) ethanol (e.g. Wine), intoxication is achieved within 1 hour after ingestion 500 ml volume, equivalent to 50 g of absolute ethanol, this ratio may slightly decreased or increased depending on the individual sensitivity. If ethanol content is increased by physical and or chemical means to 27% (w/v), and 500 ml volume is ingested by a 55kg weight female, this is the fatal dose (BAC= 0.30%) and consumption of this large amount of alcohol, 135 g, within a short span of time may affect different systems of the body, namely respiration, heart rate that ultimately may lead to death of the person, this ratio may slightly decreased or increased depending on the individual sensitivity. Similar fatal dose (BAC= 0.30%) can be achieved after ingesting 900 ml of 15 % (w/v) ethanol. From this analysis, we may conclude that when ethanol content is 15% (maximum concentration obtained by fermentation) or less, it is treated as fermented alcohol, its status is forbidden (non-Halal) and need to be avoided; preparing, carrying and drinking it is forbidden as mentioned in the Holy Quran. If ethanol content is higher than 15%, usually it is inaccessible via fermentation, alternative method is needed to achieve the desired high concentration, it is obtained either by distillation or addition of absolute ethanol, for effective distillation toxic additives are added. The Halal status of alcohol higher than 15% (w/v) is toxic, therefore it is strongly prohibited to drink, attempts to drink toxic substance is considered suicide attempt in Islam, which is hardened sanctity than drinking fermented alcohol. On the other hand, toxic ethanol solution is allowed to prepare, hold, transfer and use for disinfection and other industrial use.

With regard to ethanol less than 1% (w/v), obtained by natural fermentation process under oxygen (air) atmosphere. The process goes through two steps: first the oxidation of sugar via fermentation into ethanol, followed by the oxidation of ethanol via acetaldehyde into acetic acid, air flow is not prevented during the process. The transformation of ethanol into acetic acid, carbon dioxide and ethyl acetate, is controlled by ethanol concentration. If ethanol is < 0.2%, acetic acid undergoes over oxidation and generate carbon dioxide (Lea 1989), whereas higher than 1%, ethyl acetate formation is observed, as a result of ethanol and acetic acid condensation (Joshi and Sharma 2009). In both transformations, acetic acid concentration is reduced, thus pH value is increased (> 4.7, acidity decreased). Acidity is the most important factor affecting microbial spoilage of fruits and vinegar (Agular et al. 2005). To reduce microbial growth rate, optimum value of pH ≤4 (increase acidity) is maintained by keeping ethanol concentration between 1.0-0.2%. Therefore, ethanol Halal status at concentration less than 1% is allowed, and called Mubah (neither forbidden nor recommended) in Islam, and essential to maintain acidic condition and prevent growth of harmful microbes. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said that whatever intoxicates in large quantities, a little of it is also forbidden (Tirmidhi). If a 55 kg weight female, consumed 1% ethanol within 1 hour, intoxication limit will be reached (BAC= 0.09%) after ingesting 4000 ml volume. Medically, drinking 4 litres of water within one hour will lead to rapid and severe hyponatremia (Sahay and Sahay 2014), a condition that occurs when the level of sodium ion in blood is abnormally low. Blood dilution disable kidneys to flush water out of the body fast enough thus blood becomes waterlogged, causes entry of water into brain cells and lead to brain swelling, which manifests as coma and death. As drinking 4 litres of 1% of alcohol to reach intoxication is practically impossible, therefore one may conclude that alcohol less than 1% should be treated as a preserving agents rather than forbidden for reasons described above.

With regard to vinegar’s halal status, in general it is halal and recommended by the prophet, In a hadith narrated by Ayesha, Muslim and Ibn Maja, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said “Allah has put blessing in vinegar, for truly it was used by the prophets before me”. When vinegar’s ethanol content reach 1% (Heikefelt 2011), which is rare with exception of wine vinegar, it is halal as long as there is no deliberate treatment to induce the conversion of ethanol into acetic acid.

In Islam, human deeds are judged on the bases of intentions (Niyyah), Prophet Mohammad PBUH said “Verily, deeds are only with intentions” (Sahih Bukhari 54). Therefore, any ethanolic beverage or vinegar made with intention to achieve partial or complete intoxication, it is prohibited, no matter if ethanol content is <1% or >15%. In case of ethanol <1%, it is lower than the limited value for reaching intoxication, but placebo effect will dominate and intoxication may easily be reached with minute amount of alcohol. With regards to spirit drinks, alcohol content is higher than 15%, usually prepared by fermentation followed by distillation, Halal status is forbidden and toxic, prohibited to drink and not to be used in industries. Ethanol prepared by fermentation and distillation to achieve concentration above than 95%, chemically it is identical to synthetic ethanol, thus 95%, absolute and denatured ethanol are considered as toxic substance and could be used for perfumes and other industrial applications as long as the initial intention was not made as beverage drink.

Since 15% is the limit where yeast is toxified and fermentation process is stopped, more detail studies are needed to determine the consequence of this concentration on our gut microbiota which play important role in digestion, immune system, production of some vitamins, combat aggressions from other microorganisms, and maintain the wholeness of intestinal mucosa.

Halal Vaccination Needed To Save Muslim Children Worldwide

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halal-vaccination

We all, as educated adults, know full well that halal vaccination is needed to save our children from polio and many other serious diseases.  There have been many incidents that parents in Pakistan and many other Muslim countries refused to take vaccination to their children because they thought that vaccination being provided to their children was not halal.

After five deaths caused by diphtheria and 13 confirmed cases, the Health Ministry in Malaysia has decided that vaccinations must be made mandatory. Towards this end, consultations with Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) is necessary because most parents refusing to vaccinate their children are Muslims who doubt the halal status of vaccines.
Even before the proposed consultations, however, the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry in Malaysia said that parents who choose not to vaccinate their children can be charged for child abuse under Section 31 of the Child Act and face a fine of not more than RM20,000 or a jail term not exceeding 10 years or both, which seems inadequate, given the effect of such irresponsible behaviour. For abuse it is indeed, one that is more than personal in its impact given the far-reaching consequences to society if an epidemic breaks out.
Of course, the Friday sermons are an appropriate avenue for disseminating information and the imam is well placed to dispel notions that non-halal substances are found in vaccines. Making it an obligation, or wajib, for parents to vaccinate their children is, after all, based on Islam’s emphasis on the sanctity of life.
Additionally, Jakim has the means to disprove this prejudice spread by social media. Establishing that vaccines are halal can only be good for everyone. In the event that a case can be made that vaccines contain non-halal elements, then the big pharmaceutical companies can correct the situation. The Muslim consumers society is not just a drop in the ocean but is an ocean in itself. What pharmaceutical company will not go the extra mile to ensure that their products are halal? Also, given the nature of the disease, which thrives in unhygienic situations, public education is necessary. In remote rural areas, the authorities must create awareness amongst parents and health caregivers, such as midwives, who must register every baby delivered and ensure post-natal services like vaccinations be administered. A more pro-active stance must be taken, like a visit by a healthcare officer to newborns, though registered, have yet to appear for the scheduled vaccinations.
Harsh laws must target those parents who are fashion junkies; those who subscribe to anti-vaccination campaigns based on half-baked notions of possible bad reactions. Research has shown that with the diphtheria vaccine, there is a one in four chance that the child might be adversely affected, but none of the known side effects are fatal. Contracting the disease though, can be fatal; for young children, it is one in five, and those below 10, one in 10.

For parents to then risk their children’s lives to a contagious disease when it can be easily prevented is just wrong, made worse when the reasons are far from genuine. Yes, vaccination long administered to infants, toddlers and young children should be made mandatory for its safety is well proven. Under these circumstances then, parents who refuse to safeguard their children must be prosecuted. For, until and unless the authorities act firmly, will the public toe the line. For the sake of the children, punish the abusive parents.

Originally published on www.nst.com.my

UK Company Launches First HMC Halal Certified Vitamin Range

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The only solution was to have Natures Well’s research team develop their own formulas that would meet the strictest HMC Halal protocols. Only the purest raw ingredients are used and only after thorough testing to prove purity. All products manufactured in the UK, which has some of the most stringent nutritional supplement requirements in the world. Just because an ingredient is listed on the label does not mean there is a sufficient amount to elicit a therapeutic benefit. Natures Wellformulates their products using the correct ingredient dosages to ensure the intended effect.

Their initial launch of 12 products gives them the largest Halal Certified range globally. They have formulated a number of specifically tailored products for the Muslim community. This includes high dosages of Vitamin D supplement for people who don’t get enough sun exposure. They have also launched an Omega 3 EPA/DHA supplement derived from Algae Oil, not only perfect for Muslims, but also 100% Vegan and Vegetarian, as it has no fish oils.

Malaysia Braces For A Rise In Medical Tourism From Gulf, Muslim Countries

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medical-tourism-in-malaysiaMalaysia seeks to boost medical tourism numbers by focusing more on medical tourists from the Gulf and other wealthy Muslim countries  The country feels comfortable competing against the neighboring Thailand and Singapore as the price of treatment rises in both countries.

Patients from these countries also feel comfortable travelling to the country to get high-quality medical care while staying in a Muslim country just like their own.

According to the Malaysian Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), Malaysia attracted 880,000 medical tourists in 2014 and wants to boost these numbers by 10% in 2015 and reach one million in 2016.

Recognising the growing importance of medical tourism’s contribution to country`s GDP, a recent budget has been allocated  to promote medical tourism in 2016 and beyond.

The MHTC, responsible for promoting the sector, is now focusing more intensely on halal health treatments to attract medical travellers from Muslim countries. Some hospitals are halal-certified, which means that they serve halal food and have facilities for Muslims, such as prayer rooms – and provide halal medical treatments that exclude products forbidden under Islamic law, such as those derived from pork. Insulin is mostly pork based, but in a halal environment is replaced by bovine products.

This is also the case with gelatin-based products and sutures. Pharmacies in halal hospitals inform patients of products that are free of gelatin and porcine and other halal drugs. A pharmaceutical company in Malaysia, Halal Industry Development, is developing the world’s first halal vaccines for meningitis and hepatitis to be ready for use in 2017.

MHTC has set up deals with governments in Oman, Libya and Kazakhstan to send patients to Malaysia paid for by the state and to pay for healthcare services for its citizens in Malaysia.

Malaysian hospital groups KPJ, IHH Healthcare and Ramsay Sime Darby all have agents in Oman through which health travel arrangement are made. According to the MHTC, there is about 50% growth per year in Omani patients traveling to Malaysia, and within the GCC, Oman is currently ranked third as a source country for health tourists to Malaysia behind Saudi Arabia and the UA

Where To Market Halal Vaccine?

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halal-vaccine-marketingAs pork is forbidden by Islam, the use of pork-based gelatin in many vaccines has resulted in considerable resistance to vaccination among the Islamic community. Data has demonstrated a decrease in immunization rates in majority Muslim countries such as Nigeria and Pakistan, where leaders and clerics have made complex claims against vaccines. A 2012 survey of parents in an Islamic primary school in Australia found that over 40% did not feel they knew enough about vaccines to make informed decisions, with over 70% expressing a desire for further information to reduce the uncertainty.

This confusion and uncertainty is ongoing in spite of leading Muslim scholars stating, in consultation with the World Health Organization, that the gelatin used in vaccines should be considered halal – and thus that there is no religious reason for Muslims to refuse vaccination. Refusal of vaccines, and the anti-vaccine movement in general, pose a major public health challenge resulting in the loss of protection from herd immunity. Consequences can be fatal.

In an attempt to ease doubts and encourage greater uptake of vaccines among the Muslim population, a number of halal-certified vaccines are currently in development. Vaccines may be acceptable to many Muslims in the current context, where there are no alternatives. However, if there is a choice between halal and non-halal products, Muslims must choose the halal option.

It goes without saying that the creation of halal vaccines potentially opens up a very lucrative market. The managing director of AJ Pharma Holding, a Saudi Arabian-owned and Malaysia-based pharmaceutical company developing a number of halal vaccines, believes the global halal vaccine market could be worth approximately $1.1 billion by 2030, given the growing affluence of the Muslim consumer base.

There are 1.8 billion Muslims around the world, constituting 25% of the global population; Muslims are the single largest religious group worldwide. Key markets include Indonesia, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh – as well as the smaller but more affluent Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Hajj also creates a large market, as Saudi Arabia requires a certificate of meningitis vaccination from each of the millions of pilgrims travelling to Mecca every year.

For today’s major vaccine players, halal poses some important business questions. How will halal vaccines impact their sales? What degree of threat do they pose to their business model? To what extent is it worth considering development of their own halal vaccines in order to gain a stronger foothold in the increasingly important and lucrative Muslim market?

There might also be opportunity for halal vaccines beyond the Muslim population, as is increasingly the case with halal foods. The halal food segment – already worth approximately $700 billion globally and one of the few food product categories experiencing fast growth – is surging rapidly among non-Muslims and in non-Muslim majority markets. For example, in Moscow, sales in halal stores grew by $25 million between 2004 and 2006.

The halal skincare and cosmetics market is experiencing similar growth, with the co-founder of Indian halal beauty brand Iba suggesting that 50% of its consumers are non-Muslims. Interest among this segment is continuing to increase at a fast rate due to overlap in values with the vegan and ethical beauty markets (in terms of their shared emphasis on cruelty-free manufacturing processes). Companies such as Al Islami foods, a Dubai-based halal food manufacturer, cite the marketing of halal foods to non-Muslims as one of its key growth strategies. As the halal concept emphasizes quality, safety and hygiene, these values might also have a broader appeal in the context of vaccines and in healthcare more broadly.

Interestingly, within healthcare the desire for halal products is not restricted to vaccines. There is also demand for halal surgical sutures and plasma-derived products, and even pharmaceutical products themselves.

Capturing this growing market is not without challenges. For example, there is not yet a universal standard to define good manufacturing practice for halal medical products. While the Halal Food Standard sets out clear parameters for food products, its guidelines are not sufficiently nuanced to be easily transferable or applicable to healthcare and the pharmaceutical sector.

Perhaps even more importantly, such products may be more expensive than their non-halal counterparts – which raises a number of ethical and access issues in cases where healthcare products are publicly funded. Awareness and demand for halal products is also not uniform across Muslim and Muslim-majority countries. For example, awareness and education are higher and regulatory guidelines are stricter in the ASEAN countries of Indonesia and Malaysia compared to Pakistan.

Halal in healthcare is undoubtedly in its infancy, and it remains to be seen how the market will evolve. There is an immediate need for greater education regarding halal and vaccines for Muslim consumers worldwide. Developing communication materials targeted specifically to Muslims may constitute an important first step in ensuring informed-decision making and a defense against rejection of currently available vaccines. Indeed, as Muslim markets become an increasingly important source of revenue for global pharmaceutical/vaccines companies and competitors race to develop “true” halal alternatives to established products, halal certification is an area that should be on everyone’s radar.

Originally published on www.mmm-online.com

Malaysia Calls On Global Pharmaceutical Producers To Consider It A New Regional Ｈａｌａｌ　Hub

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global-pharmaceuticalsKUALA LUMPUR 28th October 2015 (WAM) — Malaysia has called on global pharmaceutical producers to consider the country as the new regional hub to cater for the expanding global halal market.

In making the call Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said local industry players should also keep track of the latest know-how and technologies.

“Local industry players should double their efforts to position Malaysia at the forefront of the global healthcare and pharmaceutical industry” he said when opening the Halal Initiatives in Healthcare Industry Forum here Tuesday.

Also present were Malaysian International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed and Halal Industry Development Corporation Chief Executive Officer Jamil Bidin state news agency Bernama said.

Ahmad Zahid said the global demand for halal pharmaceuticals is estimated to be worth a staggering RM349 billion (US82 billion) but the current supply is estimated at only RM8.5 million (US2 million) leaving a very big gap of RM340 million (US80 million) worth of business opportunities waiting to be explored.

“There is certainly a huge opportunity here with a very promising future and this is where Malaysia holds some of the keys. As at August this year there were already 110 Halal-certified pharmaceutical manufacturers in Malaysia including 24 export-ready manufacturers.

“Malaysia is also one of the few countries in the region that have been accepted into the Pharmaceutical Inspection Cooperation Scheme.

“This indicates that the local industry has established high manufacturing standards” he said adding this would further open up Malaysia exports to member countries of the scheme including members of the European Union Australia and Canada.

“One potential area that is ripe for exploration is herbal-based food supplements and over-the-counter medicines. With the right ingredients these products can be converted into halal products.

“There are also opportunities to capitalise on Malaysia’s diverse natural flora and fauna to develop resource-based bio-generic drugs.

“Malaysia is one of the world’s 12 most bio-diverse countries and offers high potential for sourcing active compounds for healing and wellness products” he said.

On Halal tourism Ahmad Zahid said Malaysia is the top destination and as a leader the nation could certainly complement the wider medical tourism sector especially for Muslims worldwide.

Malaysia expects to see overall arrivals of more than 930000 medical tourists with estimated revenue reaching US233.99 million (RM1 billion) annually he said.

 

INTERVIEW-AJ Pharma Co-Developing Three Halal Vaccines

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halal-vaccineBy Ghaida Ghantous

The firm and its partners are investing up to USD 450 million on vaccines for meningococcemia, polio and HFMD.
Malaysia-based pharmaceutical company AJ Pharma Holdings is developing three halal vaccines with international partners at an investment of around USD 450 million, Managing Director Tabassum Khan said.

He told Zawya that the investment covered development of a halal meningococcal vaccine –which is required for Muslims travelling to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage — an animal source-free polio vaccine and a vaccine for hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD).

“The total development costs may reach up to USD 450 million for three vaccines, including meningococcal vaccine, frequently used for all people visiting Saudi Arabia for Haj and Umrah,” Khan told Zawya by email. “These are the vaccines which are considered the pivotal ones for the Muslims in general and pilgrims in specific.”

Halal medical treatments are those that do not use any products forbidden under Islamic law, such as those derived from pork, or extracts from animals that are not slaughtered in accordance to sharia law. However, Islam allows for consumption of non-halal ingredients when necessary.For the meningococcal vaccine, AJ Pharma is co-developing a synthetic conjugation process, which allows vaccines to be joined without an animal source, such as porcine trypsin, which is generally used.

The firm is also finalizing a licensing agreement for a polio vaccine free of any animal source and is co-developing a vaccine for Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease in collaboration with a Taiwanese company, Khan added, but did not name the firm.AJ Pharma Holding was set up by Saudi Arabia’s Aljomaih Group to focus on investments in the healthcare and biotechnology sectors in Malaysia. The firm has two subsidiaries – AJ Biologics, which is carrying out a project to set up the first vaccine formulation facility in Malaysia, and AJ Research and Pharma, which is establishing the first halal pharmaceutical and neutraceutical facility in Malaysia.

IMMUNIZATION

“We are already committing to a few developmental projects which would not only have importance for the Islamic world, but for the global market at large,” Khan said on the sidelines of the Global Islamic Economy Summit (GIES) in Dubai earlier this month.

Khan said he became interested in halal healthcare because many people were refusing to immunize their children.

“There is already an anti-vaccine, anti-immunization campaign in the West with some pressure groups, and when you add religion on top of it, it is a disaster,” he said. “From an Islamic perspective you are responsible for the health of your children and saving their lives. How do you do it — by improving immunity.”

Khan said that varying perceptions among what is permissible under sharia law was one of the obstacles to development of the halal pharmaceutical industry. Some sharia scholars have said that there should be standalone manufacturing facilities for halal vaccines to ensure they do not come into contact with any non-halal substance.

“If the religious body tells us that for a halal vaccine you need to have a stand-alone facility, it is not commercially viable. You will be spending something like USD 500 million on the development of the vaccine and another USD 200 million for setting up the facility…it is not commercially viable,” he told a GIES panel on halal standards.

“No matter how big we talk, it is very difficult to attract investors to put the money. So we started analyzing the existing vaccines and you’d be surprised that about 25% of them already qualify as halal because there is no animal source in them.”

Khan said that some Western companies that manufacture vaccines may be wary of using the halal label and prefer to use the term animal source-free vaccine, which meets increasing consumer demands and animal rights activity in the West.

“I am fine calling it animal source-free vaccine. You don’t want resistance in this and you want the source to develop it also,” he said. “If we have to develop halal in healthcare, it should be the same as the existing products or better. If it is inferior, it should not be done at all.”

Originally published on www.zawya.com

Noorvitamins Hitting Mass Retail With Halal-Certified Supplements

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halal-pharmaceuticalBELLEROSE, N.Y. – NoorVitamins is looking to make some headway in the dietary suppolement space as a U.S.-based manufacturer of halal vitamins.
Halal supplements have been prepared according to Islamic law, and is free from pork products, alcohol and certain other ingredients. A variety of Islamic groups are involved in Halal certification, with companies who wish their products to carry a Halal label paying fees for inspection and certification.
Halal vitamins are highly recommended during Ramadan when Muslims are fasting.
NoorVitamins recently introduced three new products, including a multivitamin with a proprietary blend to support energy and immunity, a hair/skin/nails product and an enhanced prenatal vitamin.

Halal Vaccine Market To Be Worth $1.1bn By 2030

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halal-vaccineExperts say that halal pharmaceuticals could be commercially viable due to the growing number of Muslim consumers across the globe.

The global halal vaccine market could be valued at approximately $1.1 billion by 2030 if the market taps into its full consumer base, according to an expert.

This figure will represent around three per cent of the global preventive vaccine market by 2030, said Dr Tabassum Khan, managing director of AJ Pharma Holding, a Malaysia-based pharmaceutical firm, which is a subsidiary of Saudi Arabian investment group Al Jomaih Group.

“Globally, Muslim consumers spend up to $70 billion on pharmaceutical products, making them the third largest group in the global pharmaceutical market,” Khan said during a session in the World Islamic Economic Forum on Wednesday.

“India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh could be the markets with the most potential as they have some of the largest Muslim populations in the world.”

Halal drugs are those that do not use any animal extracts, which are not Sharia compliant, or extracts from animals that are not slaughtered in accordance to the Sharia law.

“The first dimension of market potential is that there should be a critical mass for it and for the halal vaccines, the critical mass is the global Muslim population.”

However, Khan qualified that the market potential for halal vaccinations is dependent on the willingness of Muslims in populous countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan to accept them. With the current resistance to vaccinations across many countries, he said that the halal vaccination market would be worth just $96 million by 2030.

“The size of the market is directly dependent on the government purchase but there is currently a disconnect between the market potential and target population,” he said.

Khan added that many of these countries, which have a high number of Muslim consumers, are supplied vaccines through other global bodies such as the World Health Organisation (WHO). This skews the value of the overall market potential, as the buyers are not the end consumers, the expert said.

He also warned that hurdles remain in the widespread use of halal vaccines in the market.

“Firstly, there are no regulations regarding the development of halal vaccinations while the cycle of development is also longer,” said Khan.

Production and distribution costs along with other associated costs, such as an initial investment of $700 million required to launch a new vaccine, also limit the market’s potential, the expert said.