Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior, has promised to allocate a 3-digit telephone number to the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) so that citizens can report food and drug safety regulation violations. Dr. Muhammad Al-Kanhal, SFDA Executive Chairman, said after a meeting with Prince Naif that the 3-digit telephone number will be similar to that of the police, the Civil Defense and the Red Crescent. Prince Naif directed SFDA members to formulate a work agenda, so as to give citizens the right to know about the State's efforts in maintaining food and medicine security. Al-Kanhal said the SFDA has referred a draft regulation for food and medicine security to the authorities concerned. The draft regulation will be an important addition to food security in the Kingdom, he said. There will be clauses for penalties, including imprisonment and fines that can exceed SR10 million. He said for the first time international companies and local importers will be responsible for withdrawing any unhygienic product within a specified period.
