The U.S. equivalent of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) announced important new information about serious, potentially life-threatening adverse drug effects in nursing infants whose mothers are taking the common painkiller and cough suppressant codeine. A list of some codeine containing products available in The Kingdom accompanies this alert.

Consents allowing the supply of 200mg and 400mg tablets of the COX-2 anti-inflammatory medicine Prexige have been revoked in New Zealand by the Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority, Medsafe.

Novartis, the pharmaceutical company sponsoring the medicine, is issuing a recall notice to suppliers of the tablets today.

Health Canada is reminding Canadians about the potential dangers of buying prescription drugs online, following the July 4th release of the British Columbia Coroner’s report on the death of a woman which was attributed to prescription drugs purchased online.

September 15, 2007, the US Food and drug Administration, the American's equivalent to the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), announced important safety information regarding Normal Saline Flush Syringes

September 22, 2007, the US Food and drug Administration, the American's equivalent to the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), announced a recall of Baby's Bliss Gripe Water, apple flavor, with a code of 26952V and expiration date of October 2008 (10/08) is being recalled from the US market due to the presence of Cryptosporidium infection.

September 28, 2007 – The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA), equivalents to the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), informed healthcare professionals and consumers in USA of its intent to take action against companies that market unapproved prescription products containing hydrocodone.

October 4, 2007, Health Canada the equivalent of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), announced that it has stopped the sale of the anti-inflammatory drug Prexige (lumiracoxib) in Canada and will cancel the drug's market authorization due to the potential for serious liver-related adverse events

Prexige, a Cox-2 selective inhibitor non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, and used for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis in adults at a maximum daily dose of 100 milligrams (mg).

October 16, 2007 , The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA), equivalents of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), informed healthcare professionals that it received 30 postmarketing reports of acute pancreatitis in patients taking Byetta, a drug used to treat adults with type 2 diabetes. An association between Byetta and acute pancreatitis is suspected in some of these cases.

October, 29th , 2007, US FDA, the American's equivalent to the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), Published notification about increased risk of pregnancy loss and increased risk of congenital malformations after using CellCept.