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TL;DR · figures checked 30 October 2026
- Saudi Arabia had 10,819 private-sector pharmacies in 2024 (Ministry of Health), about 3.1 per 10,000 people (our calculation).
- 46,856 pharmacists worked in the Kingdom in 2024; 36,949 of them in the private sector.
- Riyadh (3,333) and Makkah region (2,600) hold about 55% of all private pharmacies.
- Market size estimates run from USD 9.6 billion (IMARC, 2025) to USD 14 to 16 billion (Oliver Wyman, 2024). There is no official figure.
- Local manufacturing met 30.5% of the pharmaceutical sector in 2024, up from 26.3% in 2019 (Health Sector Transformation Program).
- Health spending: 5.7% of GDP and about USD 1,825 per person in 2023 (World Bank).
Brand, trade and field teams need more than a market value: how many pharmacies there are, where they are, how many pharmacists stand behind the counter, how much is made locally, and how money splits between the public and private sectors. Most of these numbers are published free by the Ministry of Health, GASTAT and the Vision 2030 programmes. This page collects them in one place.
Every figure carries its source and the period it describes, and the numbered list at the bottom gives the exact table or page. Where two editions exist we show what changed. Where we could not find a sourceable number, we say so and leave it out. Figures checked 30 October 2026.
Method and limits
- Pharmacies: the Ministry of Health counts private-sector pharmacies (community or retail pharmacies) by health region. Hospital pharmacies inside government facilities are not in this count.
- Pharmacists: all licensed pharmacists in every sector, as reported in the ministry’s yearbook and by GASTAT. From 2024 the ministry takes workforce data from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, so 2024 is not fully comparable with earlier years.
- Our calculations: densities per 10,000 people, shares and year-on-year changes are PharmaGrowth arithmetic on the official counts, using GASTAT population figures for the same year. They are marked “our calculation”.
- Market size: no Saudi authority publishes an annual pharmaceutical market value. We show the openly published estimates of individual firms side by side, each with its year, and do not average them.
- Not covered: sales by company or brand, pharmacy chain counts and market shares. For registered medicines, see our Saudi drug registration statistics.
How many pharmacies are there in Saudi Arabia?
10,819 private-sector pharmacies in 2024, according to the Ministry of Health Statistical Yearbook 2024 (Table 2-14). [1] GASTAT’s Healthcare Establishments and Workforce Statistics 2024, built on the same ministry data, reports the same total. [4] The count fell slightly in 2023 and then rose again.
| Year | Private-sector pharmacies | Change on previous year | Pharmacies per 10,000 people | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 5,466 | n/a | 2.25 | Alrasheedy (2023) [6] |
| 2022 | 10,347 | -10.8% | 3.22 | MOH Yearbook 2022, Table 2-29 [3] |
| 2023 | 10,189 | -1.5% | 3.02 | MOH Yearbook 2023, Table 2-34 [2] |
| 2024 | 10,819 | +6.2% | 3.06 | MOH Yearbook 2024, Table 2-14 [1] |
The 2022 change (-10.8%) and the 2007 and 2022 densities are reported by Alrasheedy (2023), who traced community pharmacies from 2007 to 2022 in the ministry’s yearbooks. [6] The 2023 and 2024 changes and densities are our calculation, using GASTAT population estimates of 33,702,731 for 2023 and 35,300,280 for 2024 as printed in the ministry’s yearbook (Tables 1-4 and 1-1). [1] In 2024 that works out at roughly one private pharmacy for every 3,260 people.
Over fifteen years the number of pharmacies almost doubled: Alrasheedy reports an 89.3% rise from 5,466 in 2007 to 10,347 in 2022, with the sharpest single-year growth (28.5%) in 2021 and the largest drop (-10.8%) in 2022. [6] The population grew faster than the pharmacy count after 2022, which is why density slipped from 3.22 to about 3.06 even as the number of outlets recovered.
What it means for a field or trade team: the universe is about 10,800 private doors. A rep call plan or a trade promotion budget should start from that count and the regional split below, not from a market value. Our guide to trade marketing in the pharmaceutical industry covers how to segment that universe.
Where are Saudi pharmacies located by region?
Riyadh leads with 3,333 private pharmacies in 2024, followed by Makkah region with 2,600; together they hold about 55% of the national total. [4] The table groups the ministry’s health regions into the 13 administrative regions the way GASTAT does (for example, Makkah region combines the Holy Capital, Jeddah, Taif and Qunfudah health regions). [1]
| Region | Pharmacies 2022 | Pharmacies 2023 | Pharmacies 2024 | Share of 2024 total | Per 10,000 people, 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riyadh | 3,409 | 3,105 | 3,333 | 30.8% | 3.97 |
| Makkah | 2,601 | 2,673 | 2,600 | 24.0% | 3.24 |
| Eastern Region | 998 | 1,059 | 1,105 | 10.2% | 1.95 |
| Asir | 705 | 721 | 744 | 6.9% | 3.48 |
| Jazan | 549 | 541 | 730 | 6.7% | 3.91 |
| Madinah | 583 | 669 | 645 | 6.0% | 2.73 |
| Qassim | 498 | 512 | 453 | 4.2% | 3.73 |
| Hail | 213 | 213 | 347 | 3.2% | 2.85 |
| Tabuk | 345 | 228 | 282 | 2.6% | 3.89 |
| Al-Jouf | 137 | 143 | 165 | 1.5% | 2.30 |
| Najran | 138 | 136 | 146 | 1.3% | 2.33 |
| Al-Baha | 87 | 105 | 145 | 1.3% | 2.57 |
| Northern Borders | 84 | 84 | 124 | 1.1% | 2.25 |
| Total | 10,347 | 10,189 | 10,819 | 100% | 3.22 |
Counts: MOH Statistical Yearbooks 2022 (Table 2-29), 2023 (Table 2-34) and 2024 (Table 2-14), regrouped by us; the 2024 regional totals match GASTAT’s published chart. [3] [2] [1] [4] Density per 10,000 people for 2022 is our calculation against the 2022 census population by region printed in the 2024 yearbook (Table 1-5); it matches the figures Alrasheedy published for Riyadh (3.97), Jazan (3.91), Tabuk (3.89), Najran (2.33), Northern Borders (2.25) and Eastern Region (1.95). [1] [6] We do not show 2024 densities by region because GASTAT’s regional population estimates for 2024 were not in the sources we checked.
Two things stand out. The Eastern Region had 1.95 pharmacies per 10,000 people in 2022 against a national 3.22. And the smaller regions grew fastest between 2022 and 2024: Hail, Al-Baha, Northern Borders and Jazan all rose by a third or more (our calculation), while Riyadh, Makkah and Qassim were flat or down.
What it means: allocate field force and trade budget by doors and by people per door, not by population alone. A region with low density (Eastern) means each pharmacy serves more shoppers, so in-store visibility and counter recommendation are worth more per outlet. Regions adding doors quickly are where a distributor’s coverage gaps show up first. For the counter side, see our guide to pharmacy counter selling.
How many pharmacists are there in Saudi Arabia?
46,856 pharmacists in 2024: 22,283 Saudi and 24,573 non-Saudi, up 27.3% on the 36,810 counted in 2023. [1] [4] [5] Read the jump with care. The 2024 yearbook notes that from 2024 the source of workforce data changed to the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (Table 1-8), so part of the increase may reflect a fuller count rather than 10,000 new pharmacists in one year. [1]
| Year | All pharmacists | Saudi share | Private sector | Ministry of Health | Other government | Per 10,000 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31,872 | 24.6% | 24,711 | 4,221 | 2,940 | 10.6 |
| 2022 | 34,040 | 41.0% | 26,932 | 4,646 | 2,462 | 10.6 |
| 2023 | 36,810 | 41.6% | 28,651 | 4,773 | 3,386 | 10.9 |
| 2024 | 46,856 | 47.6% | 36,949 | 5,391 | 4,516 | 13.3 |
Source: MOH Statistical Yearbook 2024, Table 2-17 (pharmacists by sector, 2017 to 2024) and Table 1-8 (pharmacists per 10,000 population). [1] The private sector employed 78.9% of all pharmacists in 2024 (our calculation), and the Saudi share inside the private sector rose from 5.1% in 2017 to 26.8% in 2023 and 35.2% in 2024. [1]
Inside community pharmacies specifically, the 2023 yearbook counts 23,649 pharmacists working in private pharmacies, of whom 4,682 were Saudi (Table 2-43), up from 21,648 and 4,306 in 2022 (Table 2-38). [2] [3] That is about 2.3 pharmacists per pharmacy in 2023 (our calculation). Alrasheedy notes that the Saudi share of community pharmacists jumped from 3.08% in 2019 to 19.90% in 2022 after nationalisation rules took effect in 2020. [6] The 2024 yearbook does not repeat the pharmacy-only split.
The most recent national figure comes from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties’ National Center for Health Workforce Planning, published by the Ministry of Health on 23 May 2026: the Saudi share of pharmacists rose from 32% in 2018 to 52% in 2026, with more than 25,000 Saudi pharmacists working across healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry. [19]
What are the Saudization rules for pharmacies?
35% Saudization in community pharmacies and medical centres, 65% in hospitals and 55% in other pharmacy-related activities, enforced from 27 July 2025. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development announced the enforcement together with the Ministry of Health, as reported by Argaam on 26 July 2025. [18]
What it means: the person who recommends your product at the counter is changing. In 2024 about half of the Saudi pharmacists in the private sector were women (6,594 of 12,988, MOH Table 2-18). [1] A newer, more Saudi workforce is a reason to refresh counter training and detailing material, in Arabic first. Anything you hand to that pharmacist must still follow the SFDA rules covered in our guide to SFDA marketing compliance.
How big is the Saudi pharmaceutical market?
There is no official annual figure. Openly published estimates range from about USD 9.6 billion to USD 16 billion, depending on who measures and how.
| Estimate by | Value | Year described | Forecast | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMARC Group (market research firm) | USD 9.60 billion; USD 9.83 billion | 2025; 2026 | USD 11.79 billion by 2034 (2.30% a year, 2026 to 2034) | [10] |
| Fortune Business Insights (market research firm) | USD 10.50 billion; USD 10.86 billion | 2024; 2025 | USD 16.52 billion by 2032 (6.18% a year) | [11] |
| Oliver Wyman (consulting firm) | USD 14 to 16 billion | 2024 | Not given | [12] |
| Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources (statement) | SAR 30 billion | Stated February 2021 | About 5% growth a year (stated) | [13] |
Why do they disagree so much? Each firm defines the market differently. Some measure ex-factory sales, others retail or hospital prices; some include vaccines, biologics and hospital tenders in full, others lean on retail audits; and the ministerial figure from 2021 described the “pharmaceuticals industry” rather than consumption. Oliver Wyman’s page itself is not fully consistent: its text calls USD 14 to 16 billion the total market, while the caption of its first exhibit applies the same range to generics. [12] Its text also puts generics at nearly 40% of the market. [12]
What it means: never quote a market size without its publisher and year, and never mix two firms’ numbers in one growth calculation. For a business case, the safer approach is to build up from your own category: number of doors, rate of sale and price, using the pharmacy count above. Our OTC launch budget estimator takes that bottom-up route, and the pharmacy trade margin calculator shows what a given shelf price leaves for the pharmacy and the distributor.
How much of Saudi Arabia’s medicine is made locally?
30.5% in 2024, up from 26.3% in 2019, measured as the industrial localisation rate in the pharmaceutical sector. This is the figure published in the Health Sector Transformation Program’s annual report for 2025 (page 184). [7]
The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources describes the same trend from the import side. As reported by Arab News on 26 August 2024, the ministry said dependence on pharmaceutical imports fell from 80% in 2019 to 70% in 2023, with 56 pharmaceutical factories licensed by the SFDA, investments in the pharmaceutical sector above SAR 7 billion and 150 licensed medical device factories. [14] In October 2024 the minister said pharmaceutical plants had grown from 42 to 56 between 2019 and 2023, and that the ministry had identified about 200 medicines as priorities for local manufacture, with steps under way for 42 of them, as reported by Gulf News. [15]
| Measure | Earlier | Latest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical localisation rate | 26.3% (2019) | 30.5% (2024) | HSTP annual report 2025, p. 184 [7] |
| Dependence on pharmaceutical imports | 80% (2019) | 70% (2023) | Ministry of Industry, via Arab News [14] |
| Pharmaceutical factories | 42 (2019) | 56 (2023) | Minister of Industry, via Gulf News [15] |
| Products on the mandatory national products list (medicines and medical supplies) | n/a | 860+ (2025 report) | HSTP annual report 2025, p. 186 [7] |
| Imports of pharmaceutical products (HS chapter 30) | n/a | USD 7.32 billion (2022) | UN Comtrade [9] |
| Exports of pharmaceutical products (HS chapter 30) | n/a | USD 0.50 billion (2022) | UN Comtrade [9] |
Note an older, different figure you will still see quoted: in February 2021 the minister said Saudi factories covered 36% of the market’s need. [13] That statement used a different basis from the HSTP localisation rate, so do not compare 36% (2021) with 30.5% (2024) as if the share had fallen. Comtrade had not yet published Saudi import values for 2023 or 2024 when we checked. [9]
On targets, the National Biotechnology Strategy launched on 25 January 2024 aims to make the Kingdom the leading biotechnology hub in the Middle East and North Africa by 2030 and a global leader by 2040, with about 11,000 jobs by 2030 and 55,000 by 2040, a contribution of 3% to non-oil GDP and a cumulative impact of SAR 130 billion by 2040. [17] A pharmaceutical localisation percentage target for 2030 is widely quoted (often 40%), but we could not find it in a primary government document, so we leave it out.
What it means: local manufacture is a procurement advantage, not just a slogan. The HSTP report lists a price preference mechanism for national products and a mandatory national products list in government purchasing. [7] For an importer in a category where a local maker exists or is coming, expect tender pressure first, then retail price pressure. For a local maker, “made in Saudi Arabia” is a claim to test with shoppers and pharmacists, within SFDA rules.
How is health care split between the public and private sectors?
The government pays for most health spending (77.8% in 2023), but the private sector runs almost all community pharmacies and employs 78.9% of pharmacists (2024). [8] [1]
| Indicator | Ministry of Health | Other government | Private sector | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hospitals (2024) | 290 | 60 | 166 | 516 |
| Hospital beds (2024) | 46,905 | 15,192 | 20,624 | 82,721 |
| Pharmacists (2024) | 5,391 | 4,516 | 36,949 | 46,856 |
| Community pharmacies (2024) | n/a | n/a | 10,819 | 10,819 |
Source: MOH Statistical Yearbook 2024, Tables 2-2, 2-14 and 2-17. [1] The ministry’s own budget was SAR 128.5 billion in 2024, 11.0% of a total government budget of SAR 1,172 billion, up from SAR 104.3 billion in 2023 (Table 2-1). [1] We did not find an official split of medicine sales between public and private channels, so we do not give one.
What it means: a pharma company in Saudi Arabia runs two businesses. The public side is won through formularies and tenders; the private side in about 10,800 pharmacies. Consumer health and OTC brands live almost entirely on the private side, so the pharmacy universe and the pharmacist workforce matter more to them than the headline market value.
How much does Saudi Arabia spend on health?
Current health expenditure was 5.69% of GDP in 2023 and USD 1,825 per person, according to the World Bank. [8]
| Indicator (World Bank, WHO-based) | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Current health expenditure, % of GDP | 5.31% | 5.69% |
| Current health expenditure per capita, current USD | 1,831 | 1,825 |
| Government share of current health expenditure | 77.1% | 77.8% |
| Private share of current health expenditure | 22.9% | 22.2% |
| Out-of-pocket share of current health expenditure | 12.8% | 14.1% |
Source: World Bank World Development Indicators (from the WHO Global Health Expenditure Database), indicators SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS, SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, SH.XPD.GHED.CH.ZS, SH.XPD.PVTD.CH.ZS and SH.XPD.OOPC.CH.ZS, last updated 8 October 2026. [8] The share of GDP moves partly with oil prices: a higher GDP in 2022 made the same spending look smaller.
What it means: out-of-pocket spending, the money households pay directly, rose from 12.8% to 14.1% of health spending between 2022 and 2023. That is the pool OTC medicines, vitamins and pharmacy self-care draw from, and its share grew between the two years.
What does Saudi Arabia’s population look like for pharmacy demand?
The 2022 census counted 32,175,224 people; GASTAT’s estimate for 2024 is 35,300,280, with only 2.8% aged 65 or over. [16] [1]
| Indicator | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population (census) | 32,175,224 | 2022 | GASTAT census, via Saudipedia [16] |
| Saudis / non-Saudis (census) | 18.8 million (58.4%) / 13.4 million (41.6%) | 2022 | [16] |
| Average age, all / Saudis (census) | 29 / 25 years | 2022 | [16] |
| Saudis under 30 (census) | 63% | 2022 | [16] |
| Riyadh, Makkah and Eastern regions, share of population | 68% | 2022 | [16] |
| Total population (estimate) | 35,300,280 | 2024 | GASTAT, MOH Yearbook 2024, Table 1-1 [1] |
| Saudis / non-Saudis (estimate) | 19,635,258 / 15,665,022 | 2024 | Table 1-3 [1] |
| Under 15 / 15 to 64 / 65 and over | 22.5% / 74.7% / 2.8% | 2024 | Table 1-1 [1] |
| Annual population growth | 4.6% | 2024 | Table 1-1 [1] |
What it means: this is a young, fast-growing and largely working-age market. With under 3% of people aged 65 or over, plan for a basket led by everyday self-care and family needs rather than by age-related chronic conditions. The 15.7 million non-Saudi residents are a distinct segment with their own habits and price sensitivity. The registered OTC range that serves these needs is mapped in our Saudi OTC medicines list.
Is there official data on e-pharmacy and online prescriptions?
There is no official figure for online pharmacy sales, but the government e-prescription service Wasfaty had issued more than 200 million electronic prescriptions by the end of 2025. [7]
According to the Health Sector Transformation Program annual report for 2025 (page 98), Wasfaty lets a patient collect a prescribed medicine from the nearest pharmacy. From its launch to the end of 2025 it served more than 17 million beneficiaries, linked more than 2,000 hospitals and primary care centres and covered more than 170 cities and governorates through more than 7,000 pharmacies. [7] The same report (page 108) describes Yusr, a prescription delivery service for older people, people with disabilities and patients with chronic diseases: more than 600,000 beneficiaries, more than 1 million trips since launch and an average delivery time of 30 minutes. [7]
What it means: more than 7,000 of the roughly 10,800 private pharmacies are already wired into government e-prescribing (our comparison of the two figures), so a large share of public-sector patients now fill their prescriptions in private pharmacies. That brings footfall to the counter and a chance for adjacent OTC sales. We found no official or clearly attributed open figure for private online pharmacy sales, so none is given here. For the wider Gulf picture, including consumer health spending in neighbouring markets, see our GCC consumer health statistics.
What changed between the 2023 and 2024 editions?
- Pharmacies: 10,189 (2023) to 10,819 (2024), +630 or +6.2% (our calculation), reversing small falls in 2022 and 2023. [2] [1]
- Pharmacists: 36,810 to 46,856, +27.3% as GASTAT reports, with a change of workforce data source in 2024. [4] [1]
- Saudi pharmacists: 15,298 (2023, GASTAT) to 22,283 (2024). [5] [4]
- Pharmacists per 10,000 people: 10.9 to 13.3 (MOH Table 1-8). [1]
- Regional mix: Riyadh recovered from 3,105 to 3,333 pharmacies; Jazan rose from 541 to 730 and Hail from 213 to 347. [2] [1]
- New in 2024: GASTAT added a regional chart of private pharmacies to its health establishments publication, which its 2023 English edition did not include. [4] [5]
More data pages for the region live in our market data hub.
Frequently asked questions
How many pharmacies are there in Saudi Arabia?
The Ministry of Health counted 10,819 private-sector pharmacies in 2024 (Statistical Yearbook 2024, Table 2-14), up from 10,189 in 2023 and 10,347 in 2022. GASTAT publishes the same 10,819 figure for 2024. These are community (retail) pharmacies licensed in the private sector; pharmacies inside government hospitals and health centres are not counted in this figure.
How many pharmacists work in Saudi Arabia?
46,856 pharmacists in 2024, of whom 22,283 were Saudi, according to the Ministry of Health Statistical Yearbook 2024 (Table 2-18) and GASTAT. That is 27.3% more than the 36,810 counted in 2023, but the ministry changed its workforce data source to the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties from 2024, so part of the jump may be a change of method rather than real growth.
How big is the Saudi pharmaceutical market?
There is no single official figure. Published estimates range from USD 9.60 billion for 2025 (IMARC Group) to USD 10.50 billion for 2024 (Fortune Business Insights) and USD 14 to 16 billion for 2024 (Oliver Wyman). In February 2021 the Minister of Industry put the pharmaceutical industry at SAR 30 billion. The estimates differ in scope, price level and method, so quote one source with its year rather than averaging them.
Which region of Saudi Arabia has the most pharmacies?
Riyadh, with 3,333 private pharmacies in 2024, followed by Makkah region with 2,600 (GASTAT, Healthcare Establishments and Workforce Statistics 2024). Together the two regions hold about 55% of all private pharmacies in the Kingdom.
What share of medicines is made in Saudi Arabia?
The Health Sector Transformation Program annual report for 2025 puts the industrial localisation rate in the pharmaceutical sector at 30.5% in 2024, up from 26.3% in 2019. The Ministry of Industry, as reported by Arab News in August 2024, said dependence on pharmaceutical imports fell from 80% in 2019 to 70% in 2023.
How much does Saudi Arabia spend on health?
Current health expenditure was 5.7% of GDP in 2023, or about USD 1,825 per person, according to World Bank data last updated on 8 October 2026. The government paid for 77.8% of that spending and households paid 14.1% out of pocket.
What is the Saudization rate for pharmacists in community pharmacies?
From 27 July 2025 the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, with the Ministry of Health, began enforcing 35% Saudization in community pharmacies and medical centres, 65% in hospitals and 55% in other pharmacy-related activities, as reported by Argaam on 26 July 2025.
Is there an official figure for online pharmacy sales in Saudi Arabia?
No official e-pharmacy sales figure is published. The closest official numbers are for the government e-prescription service Wasfaty, which had issued more than 200 million electronic prescriptions to more than 17 million beneficiaries through more than 7,000 pharmacies by the end of 2025, and the Yusr prescription delivery service, with more than 600,000 beneficiaries (Health Sector Transformation Program annual report 2025).
How should I cite these statistics?
Suggested citation:
PharmaGrowth, Saudi pharmacy market statistics, figures checked 30 October 2026. https://pharmagrowth.co/blog/saudi-pharmacy-market-statistics
Better still, cite the original source named next to each number (Ministry of Health, GASTAT, World Bank and so on) with its year, and link to this page as the place you found it. Our own calculations are marked as such.
Sources
- Saudi Ministry of Health. Statistical Yearbook 2024 (data year 2024), Excel edition: Tables 1-1, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 1-8, 2-1, 2-2, 2-14, 2-17, 2-18. moh.gov.sa
- Saudi Ministry of Health. Statistical Yearbook 2023 (data year 2023), Excel edition: Tables 2-34 and 2-43. moh.gov.sa
- Saudi Ministry of Health. Statistical Yearbook 2022, Chapter II Health Resources (data year 2022): Tables 2-29 and 2-38. moh.gov.sa
- General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). Healthcare Establishments and Workforce Statistics 2024 (Arabic edition, data year 2024). stats.gov.sa
- General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). Healthcare Establishments and Workforce Statistics Publication 2023 (English edition, data year 2023). stats.gov.sa
- Alrasheedy, A. A. (2023). Trends, Capacity Growth, and Current State of Community Pharmacies in Saudi Arabia: Findings and Implications of a 16-Year Retrospective Study. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 16, 2833-2847, published 21 December 2023 (data 2007 to 2022). dovepress.com
- Health Sector Transformation Program (Vision 2030). Annual Report 2025 (Arabic), pages 98, 108, 184 and 186, published 2026. vision2030.gov.sa
- World Bank. World Development Indicators: current health expenditure (% of GDP; per capita, current USD), domestic general government and private health expenditure, out-of-pocket expenditure (% of current health expenditure), Saudi Arabia, 2022 and 2023, last updated 8 October 2026. data.worldbank.org
- United Nations. UN Comtrade database, Saudi Arabia, HS chapter 30 (pharmaceutical products), imports and exports, world partner, 2022, accessed 30 October 2026. comtradeapi.un.org
- IMARC Group. Saudi Arabia Pharmaceuticals Market report page (base year 2025), accessed 30 October 2026. imarcgroup.com
- Fortune Business Insights. Saudi Arabia pharmaceuticals market report page, last updated 12 October 2026. fortunebusinessinsights.com
- Oliver Wyman. New growth opportunities for Saudi pharmaceutical industry, August 2026. oliverwyman.com
- Argaam. Saudi pharma sector largest in region, focus on localization: Alkhorayef, 23 February 2021. argaam.com
- Arab News. Saudi Arabia’s pharma, medical device factories surge to 206 with $2.6bn investments, 26 August 2024 (citing the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources). arabnews.com
- Gulf News. Saudi Arabia eyes localising 200 medicines, 24 October 2024 (statement by the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources). gulfnews.com
- Saudipedia. Saudi Census 2022 (GASTAT results announced 31 May 2023). saudipedia.com
- Saudipedia. National Biotechnology Strategy (launched 25 January 2024). saudipedia.com
- Argaam. Saudization for pharmacy professions in Saudi Arabia to start on July 27, 26 July 2025 (citing the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development). argaam.com
- Saudi Ministry of Health, MOH News. National Center Reports Growth in Saudi Healthcare Practitioners, 23 May 2026 (data from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties). moh.gov.sa
Figures checked 30 October 2026.
