Health Record Rights Index · country brief · this country's data as of 2026-10-02
Who holds the health record in Saudi Arabia?
In 2026, Saudi Arabia scores 53 of 100 on a person's right to see, control and share their own health record: rank 46 of 198 countries (likely range 30 to 57), in the Mixed band (45 to 64). Who holds the keys: State. Source: Health Record Rights Index, SuperTruth, this country's data as of 2026-10-02.
The government decides, with limited individual say. Its strongest right against the other countries is connected care journey (70, against a median of 38 across 198 countries); no right falls below the median, and the closest to it is research and trial consent (46, median 46).
A national record links over 30 million people and Sehhaty shows much of it, but patients have no working say over sharing.
Published · updated · this country's data as of 2026-10-02 · research tool, not legal advice
53overall, of 100 · Mixed
46rank of 198
Statewho holds the keys
mediumconfidence
85 · Goldevidence grade (DTI)
Can I get my health records in Saudi Arabia?
Access to the full record scores 64 of 100 in Saudi Arabia, against a median of 43 across 198 countries. The PDPL gives a right to a copy in a common electronic format within 30 days, and Sehhaty passed 31 million users in 2025. How much of the full chart it displays was not verified, so the cell sits low in its band.
Can I control who sees my health record in Saudi Arabia?
Control and consent scores 32 of 100 in Saudi Arabia, against a median of 30 across 198 countries. Data flows into the national record by default and no live opt-out was found, so a 2015 policy's opt-out earns nothing. The cell sits at 32, above Egypt's 25, because the PDPL regulation gives that policy force and consent-withdrawal rights exist on paper.
Eight rights, against United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and the EU
Patient access to the full record20%
64
35 · 60 · 50
Patient control and consent20%
32
48 · 30 · 30
Privacy and security15%
50
50 · 54 · 56
Connected care journey15%
70
80 · 57 · 50
Protection from commercial use10%
54
56 · 52 · 50
Clinician access at the point of care10%
54
76 · 54 · 52
Research and trial consent5%
46
46 · 50 · 50
Clinical AI governance5%
58
64 · 40 · 50
Black dot: Saudi Arabia. Hollow dots: United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain (scores on the right, same order). Grey line: median of all 198 countries. Dashed teal line: EU median. Overall: Saudi Arabia 53, EU median 61. Scores move in steps of about 5; read the rank with its likely range.
What would Saudi Arabia need to change to score higher?
Saudi Arabia sits in Mixed (45 to 64); Strong starts at 65. The two rights furthest below the 198-country median, weighted, are research and trial consent (46, median 46) and patient control and consent (32, median 30). The published rubric reads:
Research and trial consent: A general opt-out that is honoured, or dynamic or opt-in consent, with a public register of research uses: 55 to 85.
Patient control and consent: An opt-out or opt-in, a patient-visible access log and granular choices together put control at 60 to 80.
Which laws give health record rights in Saudi Arabia?
Personal Data Protection Law (Royal Decree M/19, amended by M/148) (2021): Health data is sensitive; access and copy rights; marketing ban for sensitive data; prison and fines.
Implementing Regulation of the Personal Data Protection Law (2023): 30-day request deadline, electronic copies, 72-hour breach notice, extra health data controls.
IS0303 Saudi Health Information Exchange Policies (2015): Opt-out sharing model, disclosure reports, break-the-glass, ethics approval for research, bans market studies.
Strain and split context, not scored
Doctors per 10,000
34.1 2023
Nurses and midwives per 10,000
65.6 2023
Private insurance + out-of-pocket
14.1% 2023
Record reaches private care?
unknown
Compulsory private insurance, counted separately: 6.1% of health spending (2023).
Published stories
2026-09-18 · Al Watan (Saudi Arabia) Ministry penalised practitioners who filmed patients during care and posted the clips
2024-11-10 · Okaz Health ministry refers practitioners who posted improper clips, including one with an inpatient
In 2026, Saudi Arabia scored 53 of 100 on a person's right to see, control and share their own health record, rank 46 of 198 countries (likely range 30 to 57) (Mixed; who holds the keys: State). Source: Health Record Rights Index, SuperTruth, this country's data as of 2026-10-02, https://healthrecordrights.com/brief/SAU/
SuperTruth Inc. · 24 S. 24th St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA · +1 215 918 4140 · supertruth.ai Questions, corrections or a briefing: supertruth.ai/on-the-record#contact · Full index: healthrecordrights.com
OECD: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (38 mostly high-income countries). DTI: SuperTruth's Data Trust Index, grading the evidence behind each score. Everything here comes from public information: laws, government and regulator pages, court decisions, published news, WHO, OECD and World Bank data. Full sources: https://healthrecordrights.com/brief/SAU/#sources. SuperTruth built this index and sells health data verification products; no one paid to be included. Research tool, not legal advice. Text and scores CC BY 4.0.
