What does this research mean for the field?

The revision of the External Reference Pricing (ERP) system in Saudi Arabia led to reduced complexity in procedures and fewer appeals to the Saudi Food and Drug Authority. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to analyze the effects of revised external reference pricing (ERP) procedures on pharmaceutical outcomes in Saudi Arabia.

March 16, 2026Open Access

External Reference Pricing Policy of Pharmaceutical Products in Saudi Arabia: Policy Development and Methodological Considerations

Key Points

This research aims to analyze the effects of revised external reference pricing (ERP) procedures on pharmaceutical outcomes in Saudi Arabia.
Revised existing ERP procedures
Evaluated outcomes post-implementation
Assessed appeals to the Saudi Food and Drug Authority
Reduced complexity in ERP procedures
Less variability in pricing outcomes
Fewer appeals received by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority

Abstract

The revision of the ERP system reduced the complexity of existing procedures. After the implementation of changes, less variability in outcomes was observed, and as a result, Saudi Food and Drug Authority received fewer appeals. The Saudi Arabian experience offers valuable insights for other countries planning to implement or refine ERP procedures. It serves as input for evaluating ERP as a pricing policy and for assessing the impact of policy design on various factors, such as prices and access to medicines.

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Cite This Study

Hussain et al. (Sun,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69b79dce8166e15b153aaf54 https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vhri.2026.101600

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