The Thirteenth Meeting of the Regional Alliance of National Regulatory Authorities for Medical Products in the Western Pacific was held in Manila, the Philippines from 13 to 15 August 2024.
National regulatory authorities (NRAs) for medical products are crucial for protecting public health by ensuring the quality, safety and efficacy of medical products. Access to quality medical products is fundamental to achieving universal health coverage (UHC) and other health-related Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets. NRAs are dealing with new regulatory challenges due to the evolving coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the increasing presence of substandard and falsified medical products (SFMPs). These global challenges require coordinated actions by NRAs.
The Regional Alliance of National Regulatory Authorities for Medical Products in the Western Pacific Region aims to promote and support strategies to strengthen the capacities of NRAs by promoting cooperation, reliance and effective regulation. The twelfth meeting of the Regional Alliance served as a forum for NRAs to develop a strategic plan for 2023–2026 to address the identified priorities and respond to emerging regulatory issues and challenges.
Objectives
to identify regulatory cooperation agendas and priorities in addressing emerging regulatory challenges;
to identify approaches to regional cooperation that can address emerging challenges and adapt to the changing regulatory landscape through a shared vision and goals
to identify potential solutions for strengthening the development of regulatory infrastructure and workforce; and
to engage partners to optimize supporting regulatory systems strengthening based on countries’ contexts and needs