As the First in the Middle East, SFDA Becomes a Member of the ICH Management Committee

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has achieved a landmark milestone by becoming the first organization in the Middle East to be elected to the Management Committee of the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH), joining seven international counterparts and eight representatives from global organizations.

This achievement underscores the SFDA's pivotal role and contribution through the expertise of its 42 highly skilled technical experts participating in the scientific teams of ICH. It further solidifies the SFDA's position as a global leader, showcasing its scientific excellence and reflecting the exceptional human capital that drives its success across all areas of operation.

The ICH is the only global council that brings together regulatory authorities and major pharmaceutical manufacturers to discuss the scientific and technical aspects of pharmaceutical products; establish guidelines; and develop evidence and technical requirements for drug registration and manufacturing. The outputs of this council serve as a fundamental reference for evaluation processes.

The ICH's objective is to achieve greater global harmonization, maintain a forum for constructive dialogue on scientific issues between regulatory authorities and the pharmaceutical industry, and adaptively respond to rapid advancements in drug regulation and manufacturing worldwide.

In addition to the SFDA, the Management Committee of the ICH includes the following members: the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Commission, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) of Japan, Health Canada, the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products (Swissmedic), the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA), Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries Associations (EFPIA), the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), the International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (IGBA), the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA), and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).