SNIH to supervise translational research and clinical trials in Saudi Arabia: Health minister

Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Health Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel confirmed that the Cabinet’s decision to establish the Saudi National Institute of Health (SNIH) will contribute to enabling it to perform its role concerned with supervising the translational research and the clinical trials in Saudi Arabia.

It will also support them and improve the surrounding environment.

Al-Jalajel, who is also the chairman of the Board of Directors of the SNIH, made the statement while extending his thanks to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman, on the occasion of the approval of the Council of Ministers to establish the SNIH and its organizational arrangements.

He also praised the Saudi leaders’ continuing support for the health sector to empower the field of translational research and clinical trials, that would achieve the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, as well as the goals of the transformation in the health sector.

This is also in order to keep pace with the national priorities and aspirations for the research, development and innovation (RDI) sector, announced by the Crown Prince, whose top priority is human health.

Al-Jalajel said that this approval would contribute in empowering the SNIH to create added value for translational research by converting its results into health and economic benefits, which enhance the health of the individual and society and raise the quality of their life.

The SNIH will enhance prevention against health risks, that is one of the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which is based on the health sector transformation program.

It will enhance prevention by utilizing research, development and innovation in developing health policies and strategies, in addition to working on health priorities to serve patients and health care providers, and utilizing these results to improve human health.

It will also contribute to increasing the return of health innovation through developing innovative national products for prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

The Cabinet’s decision to establish the SNIH comes in support for researchers in the health sector, and the distinguished competencies in the field of translational research, and clinical trials, in order to improve the health sector in Saudi Arabia, Al-Jalajel said.

He also added that the establishment of the SNIH will have more positive impact that will benefit the Kingdom in light of the transformation in the health sector, including focusing on urgent national health priorities, and translating knowledge outputs into products for diagnosis, prevention and treatment.

The SNIH will also play a role in empowering the pharmaceutical industries, medical devices and national biotechnology institutions to develop innovative products, and bridge the gap between the outputs of basic sciences and their applications in clinical practices.

Al-Jalajel said that the institute will contribute to reducing disease incidence and cost of health care, as well as supporting national health security, in addition to attracting investment from international medical companies, and increasing the return from the research funding.

It is worth mentioning that the SNIH is one of the health sector transformation program’s initiatives. This decision comes as a continuation of the support for the health transformation process that began since the launch of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

This decision was preceded by a number of supportive decisions, most notably is the establishment of the Saudi Patients Safety Center (SPSC) and the National Laboratory for Public Health, in addition to the National Health Emergency Operations Center (NHEOC).