MEA For decades, the Middle East has faced a disproportionately high burden of rare genetic disorders, fuelled both by deep-rooted cultural practices and an overreliance on Western genomic data. Fast forward to 2026, and massive genome projects across the Gulf region are attempting to shift the narrative. Backed by immense sovereign…
Global 2025 was a year of volatility for pharma and healthcare. In particular, the speed with which the administration of Donald Trump makes (and often then changes) consequential policy decisions has left industry stakeholders in the US and globally scrambling to fall in line. There are already clear winners and losers…
MEA Some of the top recent stories from pharma and healthcare in the Middle East and Africa, including Saudi Arabia’s pharma pitch to US investors, a new fund to bring forward Saudi biotechs, Egypt’s collaboration with Turkey on pharma manufacturing, and China’s ‘health silk road’ in Africa. Saudi Arabia pitches…
Pharma Legal Handbook 1.Please make a general introduction to the public health sector in your country and its organization Saudi Arabia provides universal health coverage primarily funded by the government through a tax-based model. The healthcare system is organized in a tiered structure led by the Ministry of Health (MOH), which operates: •…
Pharma Legal Handbook Which are the administrations, bodies and institutions in charge of public health in your country and what are their respective responsibilities? The Ministry of Health (MOH) is the primary body responsible for public health in Saudi Arabia. It sets national health policies, issues licenses to healthcare providers (public and private),…
Pharma Legal Handbook What are the pricing models, processes and principles for originator drugs? Originator drugs (innovator medicines) are priced by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) following the principles outlined in its 2023 Drug Pricing Guidelines. The pricing process includes: External Reference Pricing (ERP): SFDA compares prices with a reference basket…
Pharma Legal Handbook Have local authorities published recommendations surrounding value assessment dossiers? (If yes please add link) Yes. The SFDA published the Economic Evaluation Studies Guideline (PDF, July 10, 2024), which outlines comprehensive methods and includes a checklist. Followed by the Pharmacoeconomic Submission Portal Manual (January 2025), detailing dossier preparation and submission protocols.…
Pharma Legal Handbook In addition to the clinical data obtained through clinical studies please list the data required for a. Market approval In addition to clinical trial data, the following documents are required for market authorization in Saudi Arabia: Quality/CMC Module: Includes full GMP certificates (PIC/S or WHO type) and a local…
Pharma Legal Handbook Are there any Managed entry agreements in place in your country? (If so, please list them) Yes, Saudi Arabia has implemented two types of Managed Entry Agreements (MEAs) under the Ministry of Health’s “Managed-Entry Agreement Policy” issued in January 2021. These include: A. Finance-based Price/Volume Agreement 1. Fundamentals & rationale…
Pharma Legal Handbook Which are the main actors involved in public procurement and tendering? In Saudi Arabia, the main actors in the public procurement and tendering process for pharmaceuticals include: NUPCO (National Unified Procurement Company): Acts as the central purchasing agent for the Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Defense, National Guard, and…
Pharma Legal Handbook Please describe the main cost containment policies in place in your country and their fundamental principles a. Pricing and impact of generic/biosimilar approval The SFDA applies automatic price reductions for generics and biosimilars: The 1st generic is priced ≥35% lower than the originator. The 2nd generic is ≥55% lower.…
Pharma Legal Handbook Which are the health technology assessment (HTA) evaluation bodies and their responsibilities in your country? The primary HTA authority is the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), which hosts a dedicated HTA/Economic Evaluation Unit established in 2023. Its main responsibility is to evaluate clinical and economic evidence (EES) for: New…
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