Lisbon – On behalf of the chairman of the board of directors of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal bin Fadel Al-Ibrahim signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) yesterday with the National Authority of Medicines and Health Products in Portugal, on the sidelines of the meeting of the sixth session of the Saudi-Portuguese Joint Committee held in the Portuguese capital.

The MoU aims to enhance joint cooperation and exchange information and expertise between the two regulatory bodies in the field of regulating medicines, medical devices and supplies, cosmetic products, and other related fields such as laboratories and inspection.

The two parties will exchange experiences, information, technical visits, and establish on-the-job training programs in activities related to laboratory tests for biological preparations, evaluation of similar preparations (manufacturing and chemical control), evaluation of bioequivalence studies, conducting clinical trials and good clinical practice (GCP), and tests of the safety and effectiveness of medical devices and supplies for the purposes of licensing, marketing, and post-marketing control.