SFDA Mandates Pre-Approval for Product Advertisements

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has confirmed that its approval must be obtained before advertising any product under its supervision. This ensures that the products are safe to use, thus contributing to public health.
The required approval includes medical devices and supplies, pesticides, feed, food products, and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines.
According to the SFDA, conditions and controls that determine the mechanism for approvals for applications to advertise these products through the media should be adhered to.
The SFDA has set a number of conditions and controls for advertising these products, including that the claims in the advertisement must be approved by the Authority, and that the advertisement does not include any phrase that detracts from or affects other products. The product must also be registered or listed with the Authority, and the advertisement shall not contain misleading phrases to the consumer.
The SFDA calls for adhering to the conditions and controls specified for advertising products and to report violating products by calling the unified number (19999) or through the “Tameni” application.