Dutch Regulator Praises Development of Saudi Arabia’s Healthcare Sector

Riyadh — Dutch regulatory and scientific bodies have praised Saudi Arabia’s experience in containing the coronavirus outbreak efficiently and effectively.

They also commend the development of the health sector, especially in the areas of vigilance and drug safety; were monitored and their risks assessed.

These accolades were recently delivered during an official visit of a Saudi Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) delegation to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

During the visit, several meetings were held with leading scientific and regulatory bodies to discuss possible cooperation opportunities and exchange excellent international experience and relevant expertise.

Through this visit, the SFDA aimed to review the Kingdom’s and Authority’s best practices, particularly in the areas of food, medicines, equipment, medical products, cosmetics, pesticides and feed.

It will also review its outstanding international experience in the biotechnology field, strengthen regional capacity, and cooperate in the areas of development and regulation to provide the necessary capabilities to contribute to the development of national biotechnology systems. It is intended to discuss how to

The visit aims to achieve strategic goals in this critical sector in terms of localization of key industries and pharmaceutical security of critical medicines and vaccines.

Delegates of the SFDA are committed to the relevant We received an explanation of the services provided by each organization in the field.

The delegation visited the Dutch National Institute of Public Health and Environment (RIVM). The Institute owns a Biopharmaceuticals Laboratory and a Joint Center for Food Safety in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CODEX).

RIVM is also collaborating and coordinating with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to standardize food surveillance programs and food consumption research projects, and is also interested in opportunities for international cooperation in the field of medical devices, especially with the Global Harmonization Working Group. I have. (GHWP) medical devices.

One of the most notable visiting institutions was the European Medicines Agency (EMA). It is the European Union’s decentralized body responsible for the scientific evaluation, supervision and safety control of medicines in the European Union, with a number of working groups and associated bodies. group.

EMA is a network organization, involving thousands of professionals across Europe in its activities. These experts carry out the work of the EMA’s Scientific Committees and evaluate the full life cycle of a drug from early stages of development, from marketing authorization to immediate safety monitoring on the market.

Next, we visited the Department of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology at Utrecht University. The division aims to work with patients, healthcare providers, drug developers and drug regulators to identify areas of development in the health sector.

The department, in collaboration with WHO, has three research centers: the Center for Pharmacoepidemiology, the Center for Clinical Therapeutics, and the Center for Drug Policy and Regulation.

The delegation’s agenda included a visit to the Dutch Food and Consumer Products Safety Authority (NVWA), which oversees animal and plant health, food, feed and consumer product safety, in addition to implementing its own legislation. I was.

Its duties also include risk assessment and communication, inspection, verification and inspection, regulation and law enforcement, incident and crisis management, and policy advice to authorities.

The visit also included the Medicines Evaluation Board (MEB). The MEB evaluates the quality, efficacy and safety of medicinal products submitted for registration. It also facilitates optimal use of drugs by patients.

The work of the Commission covers all pharmaceuticals, whether prescription or non-prescription, or traditional or manufactured products.

The Board also makes recommendations to the Dutch Ministry of Health, which the Board operates under. Departments are responsible for implementing decisions such as approving product registrations or withdrawals based on safety reports.

The committee’s duties include the evaluation of veterinary medicines by the Veterinary Medicines Unit and the evaluation of novel food products. It also contributes to the decision-making process of the Veterinary Commission.

Among the scientific institutions visited by the Dutch SFDA delegation was Wageningen Food Safety Research (WFSR.

The WFSR is an international and European reference laboratory and an important tool for assessing accidents and crises affecting the work of the Dutch Agency for Food and Consumer Product Safety, the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Food Quality and the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Food Quality. considered one of the best sources of information. Health, well-being and sports.

It also plays a role in reducing environmental pollution and the incidence of food poisoning.

WSFR conducts laboratory analysis for the Dutch Food and Consumer Products Safety Authority, conducts independent scientific research by laboratory analysis, conducts forensic scientific research, conducts risk analysis and assessment, provides advice to government authorities, and analyzes surveillance results. Contribute to the collection. We receive plans from these laboratories and send them to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

SFDA not only benefits from WSFR’s research in the area of ​​food safety, but also from laboratories that perform specialized analysis in the areas of food safety and animal feed.

As one of the best clusters in Europe, the SFDA delegation visited the training center at Leiden Bioscience Park. With more than 215 organizations representing 150 professional companies and many internationally recognized research institutes, the cluster provides a favorable environment for biotechnology-related activities. — Spa