SNIH and Fakeeh Care Group Celebrate the Launch of the First Private-Sector Clinical Trials Unit in Saudi Arabia

In a groundbreaking move that marks a new era for public–private collaboration in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi National Institute of Health (SNIH) and Fakeeh Care Group (FCG) jointly convened a high-level workshop on Advancing Clinical Research and the launch of the Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) at Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Hospital in Jeddah.

This milestone event—attended by Prof. Faris Alenzi, CEO of SNIH, and Dr. Mazen Fakeeh, President of FCG—represents the first time a private healthcare institution has been formally engaged in shaping the national clinical research landscape, setting a precedent for future partnerships. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to expanding access to clinical trials and driving research excellence across the Kingdom, signaling a bold step toward inclusive, innovation-driven healthcare development.

The event aimed to review the current status of clinical research in Saudi Arabia, align Fakeeh Care Group’s strategy with the national clinical research vision, and officially inaugurate the group first Clinical Trials Unit (CTU); marking a milestone achievement as the first CTU established in the private healthcare sector in the Kingdom.

Despite the challenges of operating without a sustainable national framework for private-sector clinical trials, Prof. Mazen Hassanain, Vice President for Research & Innovation at FCG, successfully spearheaded the engagement with SNIH to review emerging policies that will enable private-sector participation in national clinical research.

This initiative reflects Fakeeh Care Group’s long-term vision to replicate the CTU model and extend it to all hospitals across the group, thereby strengthening the foundation for funded research projects, endowed research chairs, and national-level collaborations that advance the Kingdom’s position as a regional hub for health research and innovation.