Almutairi Malak, Almomen Salwa, Arafah Amal M, Al Dali Hammad, Hafiz Radwan A, AlOtaibi Abdullatif
Saudi Food and Drug Authority, 3904 Northern Ring Road, Hittin, Riyadh, 1351307148, Saudi Arabia.
Ther Innov Regul Sci. 2025 Jul;59(4):817-824. doi: 10.1007/s43441-025-00781-3. Epub 2025 Apr 14.
BACKGROUND: Pharmacovigilance is a critical component of pharmaceutical safety; it involves monitoring and assessing the safety of pharmaceutical products post-approval. The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) regulates and ensures compliance with pharmacovigilance practices among Marketing Authorization Holders (MAHs) in Saudi Arabia. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to comprehensively analyze inspection findings among International, Regional, and Local MAHs and highlight areas of concern regarding the inspection topics of MAHs in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A descriptive secondary data analysis of SFDA inspection reports was conducted from January 1st, 2019, to December 2022 31st. All MAHs subject to regulatory inspections by the SFDA were included, focusing on initial routine inspections conducted as part of the MAH's first regulatory review. A total of 80 inspection visits were analyzed. MAHs were categorized based on their countries of origin: International, Regional, and Local MAH. RESULTS: The study identified 1,122 inspection findings from 2019 to 2022, categorized by significance and MAH type. The results indicated a strong dominance of international MAHs in the market, accounting for 60% of the total distribution. International MAHs were primarily classified as major [704, (62.7%)] findings. A decreasing trend in the findings was observed from 2020 to 2022. International MAHs consistently reported most major findings, peaking in 2021, whereas regional MAHs showed variability with a notable decrease in major findings over the years. Local MAHs have fewer major findings, with [104, (9.3%)] peaking in 2022. Regarding inspection topics, managing and reporting adverse reactions emerged as a critical area alongside significant findings related to the Pharmacovigilance System Master File and the Qualified Person Responsible for Pharmacovigilance (QPRP). Areas such as Clinical Trials and Archiving showed minimal findings during the inspection. CONCLUSION: This study highlights significant disparities in inspection findings among MAHs from 2019 to 2022, noting an initial rise in major findings, particularly among international MAHs, followed by a decline by 2022. Key inspection topics, like pharmacovigilance practices, emphasize the need for robust systems to manage adverse reactions, focusing on the Pharmacovigilance System Master File and the QPRP. While some areas, had minimal findings, the study stresses the importance of continuous improvement in pharmacovigilance systems for patient safety. It promotes the enhancement of training and compliance measures across MAHs to address deficiencies and ensure regulatory adherence. Provided insights for stakeholders may improve pharmacovigilance and overall regulatory standards in the pharmaceutical industry.
背景:药物警戒是药品安全的关键组成部分;它涉及在药品获批后监测和评估其安全性。沙特食品药品管理局(SFDA)对沙特阿拉伯的营销授权持有人(MAH)进行监管,并确保他们遵守药物警戒规范。 目的:本研究旨在全面分析国际、地区和本地MAH的检查结果,并突出沙特阿拉伯MAH检查主题中值得关注的领域。 方法:对2019年1月1日至2022年12月31日期间SFDA的检查报告进行描述性二次数据分析。纳入所有接受SFDA监管检查的MAH,重点关注作为MAH首次监管审查一部分进行的初始例行检查。共分析了80次检查访问。MAH根据其原产国进行分类:国际、地区和本地MAH。 结果:该研究确定了2019年至2022年期间的1122项检查结果,并按重要性和MAH类型进行了分类。结果表明,国际MAH在市场上占据主导地位,占总分布的60%。国际MAH主要被归类为主要[704项,(62.7%)]发现。从2020年到2022年,发现数量呈下降趋势。国际MAH一直报告大多数主要发现,在2021年达到峰值,而地区MAH则呈现出变化,多年来主要发现显著减少。本地MAH的主要发现较少,[104项,(9.3%)]在2022年达到峰值。关于检查主题,不良反应的管理和报告与药物警戒系统主文件及药物警戒负责人(QPRP)相关的重大发现一样,成为一个关键领域。临床试验和存档等领域在检查期间发现极少。 结论:本研究突出了2019年至2022年期间MAH检查结果的显著差异,指出主要发现最初有所上升,特别是在国际MAH中,到2022年有所下降。关键检查主题,如药物警戒规范,强调需要强大的系统来管理不良反应,重点关注药物警戒系统主文件和QPRP。虽然一些领域发现极少,但该研究强调了持续改进药物警戒系统以保障患者安全的重要性。它促进了在MAH中加强培训和合规措施,以解决不足之处并确保遵守法规。为利益相关者提供的见解可能会改善制药行业的药物警戒和整体监管标准。
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