RIYADH —The National Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) is organizing its first annual conference entitled "Towards a national pioneering industry in the fields of food, medicine and medical devices" on Nov. 7-9, 2017 at the Intercontinental Riyadh Hotel (King Faisal Hall) under the patronage of the President of the SFDA Board of Directors Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al Rabiah.

The Executive President of the SFDA Dr. Hisham S. AL jadhey said that the conference will be an annual link between the Authority and its partners in the public and private sectors, as well as a platform for scientific and practical discussion, in which scientific, legislative and regulatory developments will be presented in the fields related to the work of the Commission, localization of experiences, and knowledge enrichment in the food and medicine education.

He added that the SFDA seeks to achieve the vision of “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2030” by enhancing efficiency, transparency and creating the necessary environment for citizens, companies and businesses to take the initiative in facing challenges and seizing opportunities to ensure food safety as well as the safety of medical devices and products.

The conference will discuss food control and legislation, food safety and risk assessment, feed and its impact on human and animal health, contaminants and pesticide residues in food, nutrition policies and their impact on public health, and innovative food legislation and standards.

In the field of medicine, the conference participants will discuss the control and legislation of medicines and preparations, the localization of the pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical fraud, the quality of drugs and preparations, pharmacological alertness, pharmaceutical epidemiology.

The conference will also discuss the control and legislation of medical devices, the localization of their industry, their testing and calibration, assessment of medical technology, developments in medical devices and products, and best practices in the management of devices within facilities.

The conference includes lectures, seminars, scientific and applied workshops, training courses in line with the organization's directions. "Food and Drug" organized an exhibition accompanying new products, organizational matters and development tools.

The annual conference is attended by many international bodies and is expected to have a significant impact on health and knowledge enrichment in the pharmaceutical, medical device and food sectors.

Finally, SFDA is currently implementing its plan for the Second SFDA Annual Conference, that will be held on Oct. 29-Nov.1, 2018 at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center. — SG