Cairo: A Saudi medical regulator has imposed fines totaling SR678,400 on 24 pharmacies across the kingdom for violating regulations related to the availability of medicines and reporting potential shortages.
The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) stated that these pharmacies failed to ensure the availability of medicines registered for the local market, notify the authorities through an electronic tracking system for medicine accessibility, or inform the SFDA of anticipated shortages or discontinuations of registered supplies.
During field inspections in August, SFDA inspectors found nine pharmacies that did not make registered pharmaceutical products available to the public, nine others that failed to report expected shortages of medicinal supplies, five that neglected to notify the SFDA about the status of their dealings, and one store that did not maintain the required six-month stock of all registered medicines.
According to Saudi pharmaceutical regulations, pharmacies are required to maintain a six-month stock and notify the SFDA of any expected shortages or discontinuations at least six months in advance. They are also required to propose solutions to mitigate the shortage. Violations of this law can result in fines up to SR5 million, temporary closures for up to 180 days, or the revocation of operational licenses.
Saudi authorities have repeatedly warned of strict penalties for medical fraud and the sale of fake medical equipment. Those who knowingly deal in counterfeit medical devices can face up to 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of SR10 million, or both.
