H.E. Dr. Hisham S. Aljadhey, CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Athourity (SFDA) represented the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the 10th meeting of the the Food Safety Committee of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), held virtually on Wednesday the 6th of May 2026. The meeting was chaired by the Bahraini Kingdom Minister of Health Dr. Jalila bint Al-Sayed Jawad Hassan, current chair of the Ministerial Committee for Food Safety, with the participation of Their Excellencies officials responsible for food safety in the GCC countries.

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has finalized its comprehensive, integrated operational plan for the Hajj season 1447 AH (2026). This readiness aligns with the directives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s wise leadership to prioritize the health and well-being of pilgrims, leveraging all available resources to ensure a safe and seamless Hajj journey. These efforts underscore the Kingdom’s longstanding commitment to the service and care of the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors.

As part of a program organized by the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), the CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), H.E. Dr. Hisham S. Aljadhey, conducted a field visit to several meat production and inspection facilities in New Zealand.

During the visit, Dr. Aljadhey was briefed on Halal slaughter procedures, modern production technologies, and methods for verifying compliance with international standards.

The CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), H.E. Dr. Hisham S. Aljadhey, headed the Authority’s delegation at the 7th Annual Meeting of the International Heads of Food Agencies Forum (IHFAF), held in Auckland, New Zealand. The meeting brought together heads of global food regulatory authorities and senior representatives from the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC).

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has reinforced the strict prohibition of manufacturing or storing food products without obtaining the necessary licenses to conduct food-related activities during the Hajj season, warning that violators may face penalties of up to SAR 10 million.

During a field visit to the Madinah region, H.E. Dr. Hisham S. Aljadhey, CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), inspected several factories and warehouses specializing in the preparation, processing, and storage of meals for pilgrims and visitors to the Two Holy Mosques. The visit is part of the SFDA's intensive preparations for the upcoming holy month of Ramadan.

 The CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), H.E. Dr. Hisham S. Aljadhey, conducted a field visit to inspect the readiness of the Authority's monitoring system at food factories and warehouses in Makkah region to ensure food safety standards are met in preparation for the holy month of Ramadan. 

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has granted PTC Therapeutics orphan drug designation to Sephience (sepiapterin), which is indicated for the treatment of hyperphenylalaninaemia (HPA) in patients with phenylketonuria (PKU).

Registration is Subjected to Full Scientific Evaluation

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with the Food Industries Polytechnic (FIP) to strengthen collaboration in the training and qualification of national cadres, focusing on building specialized human capital in fields shared by both organizations.