Recently, the French Medicine Agency has suspended marketing authorization of anti-diabetic drug Pioglitazone (Actos®). French agency action has been announced after the result of recent retrospective cohort study has become available. This study was carried out in France and suggested an excess increase in bladder cancer among pioglitazone and pioglitazone-containing product users, Adjusted Hazard Ration (HR) was (1.22 [95% CI: 1.05-1.43]).

The SFDA announced that the duty of monitoring drugs will be
 transferred from the Ministry of health to the SFDA on
Wednesday, 15\7\1430 that equals 8\7\2009.

His Excellency Dr. Saleh Abdullah Bawazeer, Vice Executive
 President of Drug Affairs, clarified that by this process we apply
 the SFDA system which includes transferring all regulative,
 executive and monitoring duties, that are related to drugs, to the
 SFDA.

باشر مؤخرًا عدد من صيادلة قطاع الدواء بالهيئة العامة للغذاء والدواء في المنافذ البرية و الجوية و البحرية التي تستقبل حجاج بيت الله.

The SFDA participated in the workshop of "New Guidelines for Development and Approval of Bioequivalent products" which took place in Paris on the 8th to 9th of December 2005 which supported by the European Agency for Drug Evaluation in contribution with the Drug Union. Dr Mohammad Al Ahdal, member of the consulting committee of drug sector and president of team which responsible for guidance of biological products is the one who represent the SFDA in this international symposium.

Saudi Food and Drug Authority represented by drug sector participated inDUPHAT (Dubai International Pharmaceutical & Technologies Conference and Exhibition) during 13-15/2/1427 (13-15/3/2006).

Dr.Saleh bin Abdullah Bawazir (Vice-President of Drug Sector – SFDA) and couple of pharmacists attended the conference. Dr. Bawazir presented a lecture (Evaluation of Medical Publications).

The admission of section's pharmacists in colleges in :( New Zealand, Malaysia, Canada, USA) was discussed by Dr. Bawazir and number of deans in these countries.

The SFDA has arranged workshop related to drug policy and procedures in cooperation with the international bank and World Health Organization. This workshop discuses the drug sector and the drug policy requirements for safety and life improvement of the publics and they puts the main objectives for this policy to ensure safety, effectiveness, quality, price and good medication consumption. In addition, the workshop focused on how to find an effective way to communicate with patients and all society individuals.

SFDA has accomplished some of its guidelines in contribution with a specialized committees includes experts and drug liables at Saudi levels; those guidelines are based on the higher and up to dates quality standers in drug monitoring and regulations worldwide.

    At an advisory panel meeting, the FDA proposed updating the labelling for antidepressants to warn of the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviour in patients 24 years old and younger. Late Wednesday, the advisory panel voted 6 to 2 in favour of recommending that labelling for antidepressants be modified to reflect this risk.