Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Sign MoU for Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Approval

TDT | Manama

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In the presence of His Excellency Lieutenant General Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Health, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) of Bahrain and the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA).

The agreement was signed by Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Al Ansari, CEO of the NHRA, and Dr. Hisham bin Saad Al Jadhi, CEO of the SFDA, focusing on the mutual recognition of pharmaceutical products, medical devices, and supplies.

Dr. Al Ansari stated that the MoU is part of a collaborative program between the two sides, aimed at formalizing Bahrain's adoption of pharmaceutical and medical devices approved by Saudi Arabia's SFDA.

He further explained that under the agreement, the NHRA will recognize and approve pharmaceutical products, medical devices, and supplies that have been classified and registered by the SFDA in Saudi Arabia.

This agreement builds upon a previous cooperation agreement signed in July 2019, which focused on the exchange of laboratory analysis results for medicines, medical products, and devices registered with both authorities.

The cooperation extends to joint inspections of factories, the exchange of clinical research, and collaborative training programs, in addition to sharing information on drug warnings and incidents related to medical devices and supplies.

The agreement further strengthens regulatory alignment between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in the healthcare sector, enhancing the safety and quality of medical products in both countries.