A senior official at the Saudi Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) has said that its administration has identified 11 outlets out of a total of 33 that act as legitimate portals for medicine into the country.

The SFDA aims to regulate the entry of medicine into the Saudi market by blocking counterfeit products into pharmacies, the official said, adding that the 11 outlets are staffed with qualified pharmacists who take samples for testing to ensure product safety.

The SFDA monitors each and every drug-type entering the Saudi market via an electronic system that allows medicine to pass through, said Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah Bawazir, vice president of the Drug Sector at the SFDA.

He explained that the system records whether medicine is produced locally or imported, as well as recording their serial numbers and the party responsible for authorization of their entrance into the country.

Qualified pharmacists at the SFDA ensure the quality of any imported drug at every outlet, as well as their compliance with registration terms, added Bawazir. In addition, the SFDA conducts field inspection tours at all warehouses across the Kingdom.

An annual project will be established to check all counterfeit medicine throughout the country. The task of monitoring and inspecting private pharmacies is still the responsibility of the Health Ministry, he said.

Bawazir said that SFDA does not have the power to block the marketing of any medicine in the private sector. Nevertheless, there are strict regulations that demand all pharmacies to keep vouchers that display the country of origin for each medicine in their possession.

He said that the SFDA intends to establish a special department to fight counterfeiting, cheating and drug-related complaints.

The process of importation, storage and selling is confined to licensed agents who then distribute them to pharmacies with the coordination of SFDA inspectors, he added.

Selling medicine online is prohibited in the Kingdom as per the SFDA. There are special procedures and regulations that govern the process of speedy shipment of medicine, he said.

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