Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has imposed fines amounting to more than SR4 million on 19 erring pharmaceutical firms during the last month of May. The SFDA explained that these establishments failed to comply with the authority's Drug Track and Trace System (RSD) for pharmaceutical products.

The authority said that 16 pharmaceutical establishments are found that they did not directly report the movement of medicines through the electronic RSD system, and this is a violation of the approved systems for tracking medicines from production to delivery to the consumer.

It added that two establishments failed to ensure their registered pharmaceutical products were available on the market, while one establishment failed to report any shortage or interruption in the supply of medicines at least six months prior to the expected interruption in supply. This constitutes a clear violation of the requirements for ensuring the availability of medicines to consumers.

This punitive measure was part of the authority’s oversight efforts to ensure that establishments provide medicines and report their movement through the electronic RSD system. The SFDA confirmed that the RSD system aims to enhance the integrity of pharmaceutical supply chains and ensure the availability of medicines to citizens and residents.