The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has activated the Regulatory AI System for Incoming Drugs (RASID) service to support regulatory operations at entry points for arriving pilgrims during the Hajj season. It aims to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of smart verification processes for controlled medications, significantly improving the overall pilgrim experience while optimizing border regulatory operations.

The service facilitates the verification of medications carried by travelers, instantly detecting whether they contain narcotics or psychotropic substances listed under the SFDA’s regulations. RASID also addresses key operational challenges, including the complexity of manual verification procedures, the vast diversity of languages, and global variations in pharmaceutical brand names and active ingredients.

This deployment comes as part of Saudi Arabia's Year of Artificial Intelligence 2026, reflecting integrated government efforts to utilize modern technologies and AI to support operational readiness and advance the regulatory ecosystem during the Hajj.

RASID service was developed by Saudi national talent within the SFDA Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (SAIL), aligning with the Authority's strategy to leverage advanced technologies to enhance regulatory operations and transition from traditional procedures to smart digital solutions, driving faster field decisions and achieving operational excellence.

Since its inception, the service has undergone continuous technological enhancements to ensure readiness for field operations during Hajj, reflecting SFDA’s direction toward continuously advancing national AI-powered solutions.

RASID achieved significant milestone results in serving pilgrims, including seamlessly processing over 50 languages to handle diverse medication packaging from around the world; verifying more than 2,000 medications within a 10-day span; reducing verification times by up to 98% and saving over 1,500 working hours.

These advancements have accelerated border procedures, prevented the circulation of unauthorized products, and enhanced the sustainability of field operations. Collectively, these efforts reinforce Saudi Arabia’s global leadership in crowd management and safeguarding their safety and security.

The CEO of SFDA, H.E. Dr. Hisham S. Aljadhey, originally launched the service during the Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh last October, marking a strategic pivot from traditional oversight to proactive, data-driven protection. 

RASID serves as a premier model for national AI-powered solutions that elevate the operational capabilities of government services, directly supporting the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s trajectory toward global leadership in artificial intelligence.