Article 23 of the Saudi Narcotics Law Implementing Regulations
المادة 23 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام مكافحة المخدرات والمؤثرات العقلية
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يعتمد وزير الصحة - بالتنسيق مع الرئيس التنفيذي للهيئة العامة للغذاء والدواء - إجراءات وضوابط وصف وصرف الأدوية المخدرة أو المؤثرات العقلية في المؤسسات العلاجية .
2- يعتمد وزير الصحة الإجراءات والضوابط للتحقق من التزام المؤسسات العلاجية بما ورد في هذه المادة، والاطلاع على ما يثبت ذلك .
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 23 explained in plain English
This article identifies the body that sets the rules on two matters concerning narcotic medicines or psychotropic substances inside treatment institutions such as hospitals and health centers:
- Prescribing and dispensing: the Minister of Health, in coordination with the Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, approves the procedures and controls for prescribing and dispensing these medicines.
- Verifying compliance: the Minister of Health approves the procedures and controls for verifying that treatment institutions comply with what the article provides, and for reviewing what proves this.
In practical terms, physicians and pharmacists in treatment institutions follow what the Ministry of Health approves in prescribing and dispensing these medicines, and the Ministry has supervisory tools it approves to verify this compliance and review what proves it. The article does not state the details of these controls or the supervision mechanism; they are left to what the Minister approves.
Article 24 of the Regulations refers to this article among the controls that prescribing and dispensing in physicians' private clinics are subject to. Treatment institutions that need to review their procedures can consult a lawyer specialized in commercial cases.
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 23 of the Saudi Narcotics Law Implementing Regulations
Who sets the controls for prescribing narcotic medicines in hospitals?
The Minister of Health, in coordination with the Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority.
Who verifies treatment institutions' compliance with these controls?
The Minister of Health approves the procedures and controls for verifying compliance and reviewing what proves it.
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 21
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.
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 ل
- 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.