Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) invites interested people in medical devices , manufacturers , and regulatory authorities to register for the 26th annual meeting of the Global Harmonization Working Party (GHWP), which is organized by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia represented by SFDA during the period from 13 to 16 February 2023 at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Riyadh.

The meeting aims to discuss regulatory developments in medical devices and technological developments, including artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, medical software and medical biotechnology. Also, it aims to enhance the harmonization and convergence in medical devices regulation between countries, developing regulatory systems and legislation for medical devices in accordance with international best practices, and helping emerging countries to build their regulatory systems and benefit from the different experiences of the members of the organization.

GHWP, which is chaired by Eng. Ali Al- Dalaan, Executive Vice President for Medical Devices Sector at SFDA, is a non-profit organization that includes 32 regulatory authorities, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, China, United States of America, Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Moreover, the organization is in continuous coordination with a number of strategic partners and other organizations such as (APEC, WHO, OECD) and the International Medical Devices Regulators Forum.

GHWP includes 9 scientific and technical working groups, the Kingdom participates in all scientific and technical working groups with experts in the field, in addition to chairing the two working groups for pre-marketing requirements – Software as a medical device, and the quality management system: audit and assessment.

The working groups launching their tasks according to an annual plan which is approved by GHWP chair and the leaderships of the scientific and technical working groups with the aim of preparing legislative regulations for the medical device industry from the stages of innovation to clinical trials and approval by the regulatory authorities after ensuring that the compliance with the regulatory requirements to ensure the safety ,quality and effectiveness in diagnosis and treatment.

You Can register to attend the meeting and the accompanying sessions via the following link: https://www.sfda.gov.sa/en/ghwp-annual-meeting.