Allergan, one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, said that it has invested over SR8 million in medical education programs during 2018 and has also trained over 1,000 medical professionals over the last three years. Ramsey Morad, Allergan's Vice President for India, Middle East and Africa, said "we are committed to Saudi Arabia, a key market in our growing regional network. Our commitment is translated in registering 35 projects and achieving a Saudization rate of 30% across our workforce. In addition, we are proud that Allergan is one of the few multinational pharmaceutical companies in the Kingdom led by a Saudi General Manager. We will continue to build on our success to structure our world-class organization. Beyond training, development and capability building of Saudi talent, we will also continue investing in our local partnerships, medical education and expanding clinical research." The pharmaceutical industry in Saudi Arabia is certainly one of the fastest growing in the Middle East & Africa region. This industry in particular has shown significant growth in recent years as a result of the Kingdom's focus on providing world-class healthcare to its citizens and residents.1 In addition to growth, the industry has also undergone a transformation. Today there are several leading national companies manufacturing advanced medicines in the country in addition to the very active presence of the majority of multi-national research-based companies. This combination of strong local and multinational company presence supports access to innovative and affordable medications for the population in the Kingdom. The industry is regulated by the Saudi Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) which continues to innovate and evolve. Today, the SFDA serves as a reference point for many regulatory bodies across the region. On market share, Morad noted that Allergan is a world-leader in both eye care and medical aesthetics. The company has been active in Saudi Arabia for many years and recently established a joint venture with Cigalah, a leading national company within the Kingdom. "Moreover, we are increasing our medical education presence in the KSA through our Allergan Medical Institute, where we are continuously investing in training healthcare professionals on the safe use of aesthetic medications such as dermal fillers. We believe that some of the short-term challenges related to pricing will be overcome as the SFDA places the highest value on patient safety," noted Morad. Saudi Arabia, with its rapidly growing market, abundance of qualified professionals and adoption of innovation, has been identified as one of the priority markets in which Allergan will continue to invest. In 2017, the company has established its local joint venture and has been committed to investing in medical education, clinical research and in building the capabilities of our teams. "Today we have local packaging and we are assessing the expansion of this in the future. In addition, we have partnered with a leading clinic to build a Center of Excellence for trainings on certain aesthetic procedures in Riyadh and will soon expand that to Jeddah," added Morad. — SG
