RIYADH — The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Saudi Arabia, represented in the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), has reached maturity level four (ML4) for medicines and vaccines regulation.

Achieving maturity level four, the highest level of WHO’s classification for regulatory authorities, reflects SFDA’s sound and credible requirements aimed at ensuring drug safety and improving general health.

The Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products at the WHO, Dr. Yukiko Nakatani, said this achievement by SFDA constitutes a significant milestone for the Kingdom and the region.

She added that SFDA is the first national regulatory authority in the Eastern Mediterranean and the third worldwide to achieve ML4 based on the benchmarking exercise of the WHO.

“This achievement further solidifies the longstanding partnership between the WHO and the Saudi government in working towards the goals of comprehensive universal health coverage and sustainable development,” emphasized Nakatani.

Attaining ML4 also strengthens the collaborative efforts of both parties to ensure and enhance access to high-quality, safe, and effective medical products. It also supports the global market entry of locally manufactured medications. — SPA