Article 22 of the Saudi Fertility Units Law
المادة 22 من نظام وحدات الإخصاب والأجنة وعلاج العقم · الباب الثالث: شروط الترخيص لوحدات الإخصاب والأجنحة وعلاج العقم
The article provides that a fertility unit's license for a given level includes the lower levels before it.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يشمل الترخيص الممنوح لوحدات الإخصاب والأجنة وعلاج العقم لمستوى معين ما قبله من مستويات أدنى.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 22 explained in plain English
This article sets the rule of the scope of a license: a license granted to a fertilization, embryo and infertility treatment unit for a given level includes the lower levels before it.
In practice this means:
- A unit licensed for a higher level does not need a separate license for each lower level, because its license covers them.
- The coverage runs downward, not upward. The text speaks only of the "lower" levels, so a license for a lower level does not extend to the levels above it.
A unit that wants to provide treatment at a level higher than its licensed level therefore needs a license for that level.
This article is linked to Article 21, which requires all the equipment and facilities necessary for each level according to the specifications set by the Implementing Regulations, in every fertility unit. On that basis, a unit licensed for a higher level is presumed to be equipped with what its licensed level requires.
It is followed by Article 23, which obliges units to announce the licensed level together with the unit's name on their internal and external signs and in their printed materials, so that a patient knows the unit's level and what its license covers.
A person with a question about the limits of their unit's license, or about a unit they are visiting, may consult a lawyer who specializes in health regulations.
Practical example
A center in Riyadh is licensed for a higher level of infertility treatment and also wants to provide treatment that falls within a lower level. It does not need a separate license for that, because its license includes the lower levels before it.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 22 of the Saudi Fertility Units Law
Does a higher-level license include the lower levels?
Yes. A license granted for a given level includes the lower levels before it.
Can a center licensed for a lower level provide treatment of a higher level?
The article makes the coverage extend to lower levels only, so the license does not cover anything above its level.
More articles on Licensing of Fertilization Units and Their Levels
- Article 19
The article bars establishing or operating a fertilization, embryo and infertility treatment unit except after obtaining the Ministry's license on the recommendation of the Supervisory Committee.
لا يجوز تأسيس وحدة للإخصاب والأجنة وعلاج العقم ولا تشغيلها، إلا بعد الحصول على ترخيص الوزارة، بناء على توصية من لجنة الإشراف .
- Article 20
The article sets three licensing levels for fertility units: ovulation induction by injection, then artificial insemination, then IVF, ICSI and micromanipulation, and refers the conditions and qualifications to the Implementing Regulations.
مع مراعاة ما يقضي به نظام ممارسة مهنة الطب البشري وطب الأسنان ونظام المؤسسات الصحية الخاصة وما صدر بشأنهما، يرخص لوحدات الإخصاب والأجنة وعلاج العقم وفقًا للمستو
- Article 21
The article requires every fertility unit to have all the equipment and facilities needed for each licensing level, according to the specifications set by the Implementing Regulations.
يجب توافر جميع التجهيزات والمرافق اللازمة لكل مستوى بحسب المواصفات التي تحددها اللائحة التنفيذية لهذا النظام، وذلك في كل وحدة من وحدات الإخصاب والأجنة وعلاج الع
- Article 23
The article obliges fertility units to announce the licensed level together with the unit's name on internal and external signs and in its printed materials.
على وحدات الإخصاب والأجنة وعلاج العقم إعلان المستوى المرخص به مقرونًا باسم الوحدة في اللوحات الداخلية والخارجية ومطبوعاتها.
- Article 24
The article bars licensing a fertilization, embryo and infertility treatment laboratory unless it is within a licensed fertility unit.
لا يجوز الترخيص لمعمل الإخصاب والأجنة وعلاج العقم إلا ضمن وحدة إخصاب مرخص لها.
- Article 25
The article restricts reproductive techniques requiring laparoscopy or general anesthesia to fertility units inside hospitals or units permitted to perform day surgery.
لا يسمح بإجراء تقنيات التناسل التي تتطلب تنظيرًا للبطن أو تخديرًا عامًّا إلا لوحدات إخصاب داخل مستشفى أو لوحدات لديها تصريح بجراحة اليوم الواحد.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.