Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) CEO Dr. Hisham Aljadhey has launched the Regulatory AI System for Incoming Drugs (RASID), a pioneering smart service designed to enhance drug regulation, streamline approval processes, and strengthen public health oversight in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
RASID Smart Service utilizes artificial intelligence technologies to regulate and control the entry of controlled medications carried by travelers. The launch took place during the Global Health Exhibition, held from October 27 to 30 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center in Malham.
This pioneering service was developed by Saudi nationals at the SFDA Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (SAIL), representing a qualitative shift from traditional monitoring to proactive, data-driven protection. RASID Smart Service aims to facilitate the monitoring of controlled medications carried by travelers.
RASID Smart Service also aims to address previous challenges such as slow procedures, the multilingual nature of medications, and the difficulty of reading handwritten prescriptions, thereby improving the experience of visitors to Saudi Arabia.
It automates the process of matching the components of controlled medications with the patient’s condition (via medical report) or the permitted dosage (via prescription). It supports more than 50 different languages to complete the matching process with high accuracy and speed.
RASID is one of the most prominent outputs of the SAIL, which the authority launched in February as a dedicated platform for developing and adopting AI-based technological solutions, fostering innovation, and improving the efficiency of the SFDA’s regulatory and operational processes.
This initiative contributes to expanding partnerships with government entities and specialized technology companies to exchange knowledge and develop capabilities, aligning with the objectives of the Health Sector Transformation Program, a key initiative of Saudi Vision 2030.
