Five initiatives designed to strengthen clinical research in Saudi Arabia were launched at the Riyadh headquarters of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) by its CEO, Dr. Hisham Aljadhey, in partnership with the Saudi National Institute of Health (Saudi NIH). Saudi NIH CEO Fars Alanazi attended, along with representatives of health authorities and research centres.

The initiatives are: the Clinical Trials Agreement Reference Model; the Guideline for Establishing Clinical Trial Units; the Profile for Hospitals and Research Centers Specialized in Clinical Trials; the Clinical Trials Reliance Pathway; and the RAID Pathway to Support the Registration of Innovative Investigational Medicines.

Dr. Aljadhey said the partnership between the SFDA, the Saudi NIH and other health stakeholders has driven a marked rise in the number of clinical trials in the Kingdom, and described the new initiatives as a key foundation for the sector's further growth and wider impact on the national health system. He stressed the value of joint work on research and innovation goals to help the pharmaceutical industry flourish and bring innovative treatments to patients sooner.

Alanazi praised the fast growth of the Kingdom's research and innovation ecosystem, especially in clinical trials, saying the partnership with the SFDA and others has strengthened health research, enabled national talent to contribute and reinforced the Kingdom's position in the field.

Both bodies aim to improve trial infrastructure, build an attractive and enabling regulatory environment, speed up trials and develop regulatory and legislative frameworks that encourage innovation in line with the highest international standards. The initiatives arise from the two entities' ongoing collaboration and support the Health Sector Transformation Program under Saudi Vision 2030 and the move toward a knowledge-based economy.