Singapore: CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) Dr. Hisham Aljadhey met today with Chief Executive Officer of Singapore's Health Sciences Authority (HSA) Dr. Raymond Chua. The meeting took place on the sidelines of Aljadhey's visit to Singapore to participate in the 30th Annual Meeting of the International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF) and the Drug Information Association (DIA) Singapore Annual Meeting.

According to Saudi Press Agency, the meeting explored ways to strengthen cooperation in regulating pharmaceuticals and medical devices, and exchanged expertise and information on artificial intelligence applications in regulatory functions. Discussions also centered on opportunities to optimize medical device regulatory systems and establish frameworks for the mutual recognition of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).

Following the bilateral meeting, Aljadhey and Chua signed a memorandum of understanding between the SFDA and the HSA to foster cooperation and facilitate the exchange of expertise, information, and best practices in product regulation and oversight, thereby enhancing regulatory efficiency and ensuring product safety and quality.

Under the MoU, both authorities will exchange technical regulations, legislation, standards, and operational best practices in their respective jurisdictions. It also covers pre-market cooperation in product registration; scientific assessments and risk evaluations; laboratory testing and reference analysis; supply chain oversight, inspection mechanisms, product clearance and traceability; and clinical trials.

The agreement also includes post-market information exchanges, such as product safety alerts. Both authorities will also collaborate on exchanging information and best practices on regulating novel and innovative products, including advanced applications in biotechnology and artificial intelligence.