Saudi Food and Drug Authority chief discusses cooperation with Singapore Health Sciences Authority

The Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, Hisham bin Saad Al-Jadhey, met today in Singapore with Raymond Chua, Chief Executive of the Health Sciences Authority of Singapore, on the sidelines of the 30th annual meeting of the International Medical Device Regulators Forum and the annual meeting of the Drug Information Association in Singapore.

The meeting focused on ways to strengthen cooperation between the two authorities in regulatory and oversight areas related to pharmaceuticals and medical devices, as well as exchanging expertise and information on the use of artificial intelligence in regulatory work.

The two sides also discussed opportunities for collaboration between regulatory systems in the field of medical devices and explored mechanisms for mutual recognition of good manufacturing practices.

Memorandum of understanding to boost cooperation

On the sidelines of the meeting, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Saudi Food and Drug Authority and the Health Sciences Authority of Singapore. The agreement aims to enhance cooperation and the exchange of expertise and best practices in product regulation and oversight, contributing to improved regulatory efficiency and product safety and quality.

The memorandum covers several areas, most notably the exchange of legislation, technical regulations, and standards, as well as sharing expertise in product registration, scientific evaluation, risk assessment and analysis, in addition to laboratory and reference testing, regulatory and inspection procedures for supply chains, product clearance and tracking, and clinical studies.

The agreement also includes mutual notification of product safety alerts and the exchange of information and best practices in the regulation and oversight of new and innovative products, including the use of biotechnology and artificial intelligence.