RIYADH — The Ministry of Health has initiated legal and regulatory action against a healthcare practitioner who appeared in widely circulated social media content promoting the injection of an exosome product in violation of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority’s approved usage guidelines.
The ministry said the practitioner also made claims about the product’s safety based on personal experience, conduct that it said contravenes healthcare regulations and professional ethics.
According to the ministry, the practitioner’s violations included promoting the product for uses outside its approved indications, making unsupported claims about its safety and effectiveness based on personal experiences and those of others, criticizing fellow healthcare professionals, and sharing information that could influence patients’ decisions without presenting complete scientific evidence regarding the product’s risks, limitations, and approved use.
The Ministry of Health confirmed that it has taken the necessary legal measures against the practitioner, including suspending the practitioner’s professional license in accordance with the Law of Practicing Healthcare Professions.
The ministry stressed that disparaging fellow healthcare professionals is inconsistent with medical ethics and said professional disagreements should be addressed through evidence-based scientific discussion and mutual respect.
It also emphasized that personal experiences or anecdotal accounts do not constitute scientifically accepted evidence of the safety or effectiveness of healthcare products and should not be presented to the public as medical or therapeutic proof.
The ministry noted that scientific evaluations, clinical research, and medical trials involving human participants are subject to strict ethical, scientific, and regulatory requirements, including obtaining approval from the relevant authorities to ensure participant safety.
The Ministry of Health urged the public to report healthcare violations through its 937 call center, adding that it will continue monitoring health-related content shared on social media in coordination with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority and the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties whenever violations fall within their respective jurisdictions. It reaffirmed its commitment to taking appropriate legal action to protect patient safety and uphold the integrity and ethics of the healthcare profession.
Source: Saudi Gazette