Health minister backs Lebanese drug makers on a visit to a Baalbek serum plant

Public Health Minister Rakan Nasreddine visited the Serum & Solutions factory in the Sarain plain near Baalbek, touring its production lines and pledging to protect Lebanon's pharmaceutical industry, Daily Beirut reported.

Nasreddine said supporting national drug makers was a priority "not only through legislation but also by practical application," calling the sector a pillar of health and economic security that can compete and export. He praised factories for continuing to operate despite rising costs.

On the price of medical serums, he said the ministry had reached "a logical formula" to improve the pricing mechanism, balancing hospitals' capacity to pay, the burden on patients and the finances of local producers. "The goal is not to confront factories or cause any closures," he said.

The Sarain plant employs more than 120 people, according to the report. Nasreddine said the ministry's reforms, including a central laboratory and a National Drug Agency, would strengthen regulation and production. He ended the visit by planting a cedar in the factory courtyard.