The following words and phrases - wherever they appear in this Regulation - shall have the meanings set forth below, unless the context requires otherwise:

• 1- Ministry: Ministry of Health.

• 2- Minister: Minister of Health.

• 3- Administration: General Administration of Medical Research.

• 4- Contract: The regulatory document signed between the Ministry and the Principal Researcher, or the entity through which the research will be conducted. 

• 5- Research Project: The comprehensive proposal that includes the research objectives, its significance, methodology, phases, implementation mechanisms, and necessary requirements.

• 6- Principal Researcher: A person who is academically qualified and has practical experience, representing the group participating in the research, and is responsible for supervising and managing the group.

• 7- Participating Researcher: A person who is academically qualified and has practical experience, collaborating with a group of researchers to conduct a study on a specific topic.

• 8- Research Assistant: A person who is academically qualified and has practical experience, assisting in the execution of work and conducting experiments and other procedural tasks for the research, and obtaining data and results according to the approved plans and methods in the research, under the direct supervision and responsibility of the researchers. The group of research assistants includes the following categories:

  • - Specialists: Those who possess the qualifications, experience, and scientific and technical expertise to carry out the required technical tasks in the research.

  • - Professionals: Those with specialized professional qualifications and experience such as (doctors, pharmacists, engineers, specialists, and others in similar positions).

  • - Administrators: Those qualified to perform various administrative tasks.

• 9- Consultant: A distinguished person in their field of specialization, qualified by their extensive experience and active, in-depth scientific performance, tasked with providing consulting services or studies for the research group. 

• 10- Arbitrator: A person who is academically qualified to arbitrate the research project or scientific production or to provide a report on the research at its various stages.

• 11- Field Evaluator: A person who is academically qualified and has practical experience, monitoring the implementation of research in the field to ensure its compliance with the agreed research project, adherence to the scientific methodology, and compliance with the ethical standards related to scientific research.

1- Linking scientific research to the objectives of the Ministry and development plans.

2- Enhancing preventive, therapeutic, and rehabilitative health services.

3- Providing scientific advice for the health issues faced by the Ministry and proposing appropriate solutions.

4- Organizing the administrative, technical, and financial procedures for research and studies in health fields and health-related topics.

5- Utilizing the results of research and studies in making appropriate decisions.

6- Improving the capabilities of national human resources within the Ministry's sectors and training them in managing, implementing, and organizing medical research.

7- Encouraging the publication of research in peer-reviewed medical journals and presenting it at local and international conferences.

8- Identifying the most important health issues and directing research to address them.

1- The Ministry has the right to request researchers or one or more entities to prepare a research project on a specific topic, provided that its selection is based on its scientific quality and that it falls within the research priorities of the Ministry.

2- Qualified specialists from the Ministry may participate in conducting research as principal or co-researchers or as part of the research team. They may also work as reviewers or consultants, provided that it does not conflict with their original duties, and the rules applicable to the categories mentioned in Article (6) of this Regulation shall apply to them.

1- The research project is prepared in accordance with the approved scientific methodology, and in alignment with the established research priorities.

2- Research projects are submitted to the administration, and the approved conditions and templates are taken into account in their preparation.

3- A detailed budget for the research project is prepared according to the template approved by the administration.

Except for contracting and inviting universities, research centers, or specialized offices, the reward for the research team, committee chairs, members, arbitrators, and consultants is determined as follows:

• 1- A monthly reward of (five thousand Riyals) for the principal researcher and (three thousand Riyals) for the co-researcher during the research period, provided that the participation of the researcher during the same period does not exceed one research as a principal researcher and two researches as a co-researcher.

• 2- A reward of (one hundred Riyals) for the research assistant for each hour, not to exceed four hours per day, with a maximum of (three thousand Riyals) monthly.

• 3- A reward of (one hundred Riyals) for field evaluators for each hour, not to exceed four hours per day, with a maximum of (three thousand Riyals) monthly.

• 4- A reward of (seven hundred Riyals) for each session, with a maximum not exceeding (twenty-one thousand) Riyals per year, for both committee chairs and members as stipulated in Article (three).

• 5- A reward of (two thousand Riyals) for the arbitrator for adjudicating each research project.

• 6- A reward for consultants if the research requires it, as follows:

  • - A reward of (five hundred Riyals) for a consultant from within the city for each consultation day, with a maximum of (ten thousand Riyals) per year.

  • - A reward of (one thousand Riyals) for a consultant from outside the city for each consultation day, including accommodation and living expenses, with a maximum of (fourteen thousand Riyals) per year, in addition to securing a travel ticket, provided that the number of visits does not exceed two visits per year.

  • - A reward of (two thousand Riyals) for a consultant from outside the Kingdom for each consultation day, including accommodation and living expenses, with a maximum of (twenty thousand Riyals) per year, in addition to securing a travel ticket, provided that the number of visits does not exceed one visit per year for each consultant.

  • - If the required consultations are achieved by the consultant while at their workplace - whether inside or outside the Kingdom - without the need for their presence at the research implementation site, they will be treated in terms of reward as a consultant from within the city.

  • - The maximum number of consultants in any of the above cases is two consultants for each research per year.

Unless the contract states otherwise, the approved amounts for research from the research and studies budget shall be disbursed in the following manner: 

• 1- (20%) of the total project cost immediately after signing the contract.

• 2- A second payment representing (60%) of the total project cost in stages, after submitting a technical and financial report for each stage, and after approval by the scientific committee.

• 3- A third payment representing (20%) of the total project cost, after submitting the final technical and financial report, and after approval by the scientific committee.

Approved expenditure items covered by the research budget: 

• 1- Rewards for committee chairs, members, researchers, and the workforce participating in the research.

• 2- The value of research devices, materials, equipment, and computer programs.

• 3- Rewards for arbitrators and consultants.

• 4- Travel and conferences.

• 5- Printing and publication expenses. 

The research team may undertake internal or external research trips and attend specialized scientific conferences related to the research according to the research plan, and the Research Priorities Accreditation Committee establishes the regulations governing this.

1- In the case of conducting research or a study at the request of the Ministry, the complete outputs of the research shall be owned by the Ministry, unless the contract states otherwise. 

2- The publication of the research or study is permitted after obtaining the approval of the Ministry, with reference to the Ministry's role in supporting and implementing the study.