EMA Builds Collaboration with African Regulators

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) met with a delegation from the East African Community (EAC) from May 18–19, 2017 as part of the agency’s collaboration with African regulators. The meeting offered an exchange of information and discussion on the EAC potentially creating a networking medicines agency. The meeting followed a workshop held in March as part of EMA’s Article 58 procedure for drugs intended for use outside of the European Union.

EMA’s structure and operations were used as a model for the potential EAC networking medicines agency. Discussions at the meeting included drug approval processes, pharmacovigilance, inspections, training, and internal controls.

Participants in the meeting included heads of EAC national agencies, representatives from the World Health Organization, and representatives from the World Health Bank. The EAC is an official observer of the International Council for Harmonization and is a member of the International Pharmaceutical Regulators Forum.

Source: EMA