§ COMPARE REGULATORS

PMDA vs SFDA: Medical Device Regulatory Comparison

Compare the medical device registration pathways, classification, and regulatory requirements of PMDA (Japan) vs SFDA (Saudi Arabia).

PMDA

Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (Japan)

Japan

Japan's PMDA conducts scientific reviews of medical device applications under the PMD Act. Japan uses a four-class system with three pathways: Todokede (notification) for Class I, Ninsho (third-party

CLASSES

Class I, II, III, IV

PATHWAY

Todokede / Ninsho / Shonin

KEY FUNCTIONS
  • Shonin pre-market approval
  • Ninsho third-party certification
  • QMS inspection (MHLW Ordinance 169)
  • PMDA consultation (Taimen Joshu)
  • Foreign Manufacturer Registration

SFDA

Saudi Food and Drug Authority

Saudi Arabia

The SFDA regulates medical devices in Saudi Arabia under the Medical Devices Interim Regulation. Saudi Arabia is increasingly aligning with international standards (IMDRF) and has introduced mandatory

CLASSES

Class A, B, C, D

PATHWAY

SFDA device listing / market authorization

KEY FUNCTIONS
  • Device listing (MDMA)
  • Conformity assessment
  • Adverse event reporting
  • GCC harmonization
  • Import control

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§ OTHER COMPARISONS