Nawaf Afat Okaz/Saudi Gazette RIYADH – The Saudi Food and Drugs Authority (SFDA) has revealed that it destroyed this year medical equipment worth SR88 million stored in humid and hot places that made them ineffective. Dr. Salih Al-Tayar, vice chairman of medical equipment and products department at the SFDA, made the remarks following a visit paid by Dr. Muhammad Al-Jasser, Minister of Economy and Planning, to the Authority's headquarters. He said the SFDA was planning to grant licenses to 20 factories to manufacture medical products and equipment in the near future. The plan seeks to dispel any fears about foreign capital entering the Saudi market, Al-Tayar added. The SFDA has so far registered over 127,000 medical devices and products, Al-Tayar pointed out. The SFDA is a member of the Global Medical Equipment and Products Center, which is concerned with protecting local markets. “The Authority has a database of all medical devices planted in Saudi citizens and keeps track of these devices and any complications that might occur to patients. It also keeps all pertinent information about the manufacturer of those devices and their functions.”
