SFDA Announcements & Circulars
Types of SFDA communications
The SFDA issues several types of official communications relevant to medical device manufacturers and ARs:
| Communication type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Regulatory announcements | Changes to registration requirements, new guidance, fee updates, portal changes |
| Safety announcements | Market-wide safety alerts, FSCAs initiated by SFDA, international safety signals |
| Circulars | Operational guidance, clarifications on existing requirements, procedural updates |
| GHAD notifications | System updates, new portal features, submission requirement changes |
| Press releases | Major policy announcements, MoU signings, IMDRF/GCC updates |
Where to find SFDA announcements
- SFDA website — www.sfda.gov.sa → News and Announcements
- GHAD portal — login notifications and system messages
- SFDA social media — official SFDA accounts on X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and other platforms (verify current accounts on SFDA website)
- Your AR — should monitor SFDA communications and relay relevant updates
Language of announcements
SFDA announcements are primarily issued in Arabic. English summaries or translations may be provided for major regulatory changes, but not routinely. Manufacturers relying on their AR for SFDA monitoring should ensure the AR has Arabic-language capability for accurate interpretation.
Setting up monitoring
Recommended monitoring practices:
- Instruct your AR to monitor SFDA website and GHAD notifications weekly
- Subscribe to SFDA email alerts if available on the website
- Follow SFDA official social media accounts
- Join relevant industry association mailing lists (e.g. Saudi Medical Devices Industry Association) that aggregate SFDA updates