American Society of Hirudotherapy

Ministry of Public Health — State of Qatar (Department of Pharmacy and Drug Control)

MoPH Qatar · Qatar · middle east

Regulatory jurisdiction profileJurisdictional reference
Unregulatednational regulator

Qatar's Ministry of Public Health, Department of Pharmacy and Drug Control — leech-specific regulatory pathway has not been independently verified by ASH; medicinal leeches fall under the general national pharmaceutical and medical device framework as appropriate.

Regulatory Profile

Agency type
national regulator
Region
middle east
Country
Qatar
Leech status
unregulated
Last ASH review
2026-05-26
Website
https://www.moph.gov.qa

Relevant Regulation Codes

  • Qatari Law No. 3 of 1983 on the Practice of Pharmacy
  • Qatari Ministry of Public Health Medical Devices Regulations
  • GCC harmonised Drug Registration Procedures (where applicable)

Prescriber Requirements

  • Qatar Council for Healthcare Practitioners (QCHP)–licensed physician — order required for any biomedical device application
  • Allied health professional application under physician supervision per institutional protocol

Supply Chain & GMP

Ministry of Public Health registration as applicable; Arabic and English-language labelling. Standard cold-chain conditions.

Import/Export Rules

Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of Municipality / veterinary services import authorisation for live invertebrates; CITES Appendix II paperwork for Hirudo medicinalis / verbana.

Reimbursement Context

Hamad Medical Corporation (public sector) and private payers determine coverage case-by-case; outpatient hirudotherapy is generally not separately reimbursed.

ASH Editorial Notes

Leech-specific pathway not independently verified by ASH; falls under general medical device / traditional medicine framework as appropriate. GCC member states share elements of pharmaceutical regulatory harmonisation; whether this captures live-organism medical devices has not been independently mapped by ASH.

Related Jurisdictions

Israeli MoH — Israel

Israel's Ministry of Health (Misrad HaBri'ut) — leech therapy regulated under the Pharmacists' Ordinance with Medical Devices Division oversight; significant clinical use in reconstructive and microsurgery services.

EDA — Egypt

Egypt's Egyptian Drug Authority (formed 2019, replacing the older CAPA / Central Administration of Pharmaceutical Affairs) — leech therapy regulated as a medical device with parallel traditional-medicine context.

SFDA — Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's SFDA — leech therapy supervised under medical-device pathway, with Saudi Vision 2030 expansion of traditional/complementary medicine via NCCAM-KSA at the Ministry of Health.

MOHAP — United Arab Emirates

UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention — federal authority over health products; leech-specific regulation has not been independently verified by ASH.

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This website provides educational information and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Medicinal leech therapy carries clinically meaningful risks and should be performed only by qualified clinicians under institutionally approved protocols. FDA 510(k) clearance for medicinal leeches is limited to specific indications; investigational and off-label discussions are labeled accordingly. For patient-specific guidance, consult a qualified healthcare provider.