Article 21 of the Saudi Narcotics Law Implementing Regulations
المادة 21 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام مكافحة المخدرات والمؤثرات العقلية
The article sets the retention of the original prescription at three years and the prescription register at five years, and how they are destroyed after the period by a committee and a report.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يحفظ أصل الوصفة لمدة ثلاث سنوات .
2- يجب على كل صيدلية الاحتفاظ بسجل خاص بالوصفات لمدة خمس سنوات.
3- يتم إتلاف الوصفة وسجل الوصفات بعد انقضاء المدة المحددة للحفظ بوساطة لجنة تشكل من ثلاثة أعضاء بقرار من مدير المنشأة أو من ينيبه، ويعد محضر بذلك.
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 21 explained in plain English
This article completes the provisions on prescriptions for medicines containing narcotic or psychotropic substances, regulating the stage after dispensing: how long the prescription is kept, and how it is destroyed.
- Original prescription: kept for three years.
- Prescription register: every pharmacy must keep a special prescription register for five years.
- Destruction: after the retention period ends, the prescription and the prescription register are destroyed by a committee of three members formed by decision of the establishment's manager or his delegate, and a report is prepared on it.
This provision is connected with Article 20 of the Regulations, which provides that the original prescription is kept at the pharmacy and one of its two copies is kept in the prescription book; Article 21 sets how long that original and the register remain.
In practical terms for pharmacies, disposing of prescriptions or the register before the period ends is not permitted, and destruction after it is not haphazard but done through a three-member committee and a report documenting what was done. This allows the prescription or register to be consulted during the retention period if the competent bodies need to verify a particular dispensing. Anyone with a question about their pharmacy's obligations can consult a lawyer specialized in commercial cases.
Practical example
A pharmacy in Medina has originals of restricted prescriptions more than three years old. The manager issues a decision forming a committee of three members, which destroys them and prepares a report, while the prescription register stays kept until five years have passed.
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 21 of the Saudi Narcotics Law Implementing Regulations
How many years is the original restricted prescription kept?
Three years.
How long is the prescription register kept at the pharmacy?
Five years.
How are prescriptions destroyed after their retention period ends?
By a committee of three members formed by decision of the establishment's manager or his delegate, and a report is prepared.
More articles on Prescriptions for Narcotic Medicines
- Article 17
The article empowers the Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, in coordination with the Minister of Health, to approve procedures and controls for selling, delivering and disposing of narcotics in pharmacies and treatment institutions.
يعتمد الرئيس التنفيذي للهيئة العامة للغذاء والدواء - بالتنسيق مع وزير الصحة - إجراءات وضوابط بيع وتسليم المواد المخدرة أو المؤثرات العقلية والتصرف فيها في المنش
- Article 20
The article sets the conditions for the prescription for restricted medicines, its mandatory data and validity period, the Minister of Health's power to amend them, and verifying modern prescription-writing technologies.
1 - شروط الوصفة الطبية هي: أ - يجب أن تحتوي الوصفة على دواء واحد فقط . ب- تتكون الوصفة من أصل مكتوب في أعلاه بخط أحمر (مادة مقيدة) وصورتين مكتوب عليهما (غير قاب
- Article 23
The article empowers the Minister of Health, in coordination with the Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, to approve controls for prescribing and dispensing narcotic medicines in treatment institutions and controls for verifying compliance with them.
1- يعتمد وزير الصحة - بالتنسيق مع الرئيس التنفيذي للهيئة العامة للغذاء والدواء - إجراءات وضوابط وصف وصرف الأدوية المخدرة أو المؤثرات العقلية في المؤسسات العلاجي
- Article 26
The article empowers the Minister of Health to issue controls and instructions on returning medicines containing narcotic or psychotropic substances and disposing of them, including those dispensed from government and private treatment institutions.
يصدر وزير الصحة الضوابط والتعليمات المتعلقة بإعادة الأدوية المحتوية على مواد مخدرة أو مؤثرات عقلية وكيفية التصرف فيها، بما فيها الأدوية المخدرة والمؤثرات العقلي
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.