Abu Dhabi: The Saudi Food and Drug Authority has reviewed a number of prominent violations of its rules committed by pharmaceutical and herbal drugs companies and their penalties. The Saudi FDA explained that SR50,000 fine will be slapped against good transporting, distribution, or manufacturers of drugs that are not registered by the authority.
It added that SR30,000 fine will be handed down to facilities which fail to build integrated electronic system with the tracking system approved by the authority, advertise, hold lectures for practitioners on a pharmaceutical or herbal drug that the system permits dispensing, without the approval of the authority.
The authority imposes a fine of 100,000 riyals against factories which fail to inform it of any note regarding the quality and effectiveness of the pharmaceutical or herbal drug, or discovery of any side effects or medication errors after marketing them.
Violators of Saudi FDA’s regulations with regard to ensuring safety of food, fodders, medicine and medical equipment face a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail and fines amounting to SR10 million.
If any company is found dealing in adulterated food they will be slapped with fines ranging from SR100,000 to SR1million. In the event of intentionality repeating the crime, the penalty will be imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years, or a fine not exceeding SR10 million or both, according to article 16 of the Food Law, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The penalty for any company that uses fodder, which contains toxic substances or materials that cause harm to animal health or public health, will face fines starting from SR200,000 and that may reach SR1 million, in addition to destruction of the fodder.
With regard to advertising a cosmetic product that is not listed or violates the controls and conditions of advertising, SFDA stated that anyone who does so will be slapped with a fine of up to SR5 million, according to article 21 of the Cosmetic Products Law.
The penalties include either temporary suspension of the company’s license; revoking the license; withdrawing the product and stopping its circulation; canceling the marketing authorisation certificate or referring the case to the Public Prosecution to apply the penal law for forgery crimes.
SFDA stressed the importance of adhering to the laws and regulations aimed at preserving the safety of citizens and expatriates.
The authority regulates, monitors and supervises food, medicine and medical and diagnostic devices and sets mandatory standard specifications for them, whether they are imported or locally manufactured.
It is also responsible for monitoring and examining them in their laboratories or the laboratories of other parties and educating the consumer in everything related to food, medicine, medical instruments and all associated products and cosmetics as well as electronic products that affect human health.
