South-East Asia Regulatory Network

New network to ensure quality of medical products in region

A new regulatory network of countries of WHO's south-east Asia region is expected to bring a major change in the improvement of quality of medical products in the region that includes Bangladesh.

The South-East Asia Regulatory Network (SEARN), an initiative taken by 11 countries, would brought together region's regulatory agencies under one umbrella to ensure medical products produced and sold with proper quality and prevent low-quality products in market, said a press release here.
The common initiative is also expected to synchronize regulations, prevent unsafe products and resist antibiotic resistance caused from low quality drugs.
"The network, which connects every one of the region's national regulatory authorities, will help harmonize existing regulations and streamline work-sharing arrangements in order to get the most out of our collective strengths," said Dr Boonchai Somboonsok, Secretary General of Thailand's Food and Drug Administration. 
Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia, added that the joint initiative would enhance region's ability to effectively tackle health security threats such as antimicrobial resistance and tuberculosis.
The presence of poor quality medical products on the market is the result of limited regulatory capacity to enforce best practices needed to develop, produce and distribute them. 
Many regulatory authorities in the region lack sufficient technical capacity, staff and resources to perform effectively.
"By collaborating and working together we can learn from one another while effectively regulating the vast number of products 
available in our countries," said Dr Somboonsok. For the smaller countries - such as Bhutan and Maldives - SEARN will significantly expand the ability for national regulators to ensure medical products are safe and of adequate quality, said WHO.
"Greater information sharing, collaboration and alignment of regulatory standards in the region will be of great use to Bhutan. As a smaller country it is important for us to work with national regulators in other countries and have rapid access to regulatory information about products we import to Bhutan," Sonam Dorji, the former head of Bhutan's Drug Regulatory Authority said.
"We are immensely pleased to be a part of this initiative and look forward to its implementation."
The SEARN countries include: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste.

South-East Asia Regulatory Network

New network to ensure quality of medical products in region

A new regulatory network of countries of WHOs south-east Asia region is expected to bring a major change in the improvement of quality of medical products in the region that includes Bangladesh. The South-East Asia Regulatory Network (SEARN), an initiative taken by 11 countries, would broughttogether regions regulatory agencies under one umbrella to ensuremedical products produced and sold with proper quality and prevent low-quality products in market, said a press release here. The common initiative is also expected to synchronize regulations, prevent unsafe products and resist antibiotic resistance caused from low quality drugs. The network, which connectsevery one of the regions nationalregulatory authorities, will help harmonize existing regulations and streamline work-sharing arrangements in order to get the most out of ourcollective strengths, said Dr Boonchai Somboonsok, Secretary Generalof Thailands Food and Drug Administration. Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia, added that the joint initiative would enhance regions ability to effectively tackle health security threats such as antimicrobial resistance and tuberculosis. The presence of poor quality medical products on the market is the result of limited regulatory capacity to enforce best practices needed to develop, produce and distribute them. Many regulatory authorities in the region lack sufficient technicalcapacity, staff and resources to perform effectively. By collaborating and working together we can learn from one another while effectively regulating the vast number of products available in our countries, said Dr Somboonsok. For the smaller countries - such as Bhutan and Maldives - SEARN will significantly expand the ability for national regulators to ensure medical products are safe and of adequate quality, said WHO. Greater information sharing, collaboration and alignment of regulatory standards in the region will be of great use to Bhutan. As a smaller country it is important for us to work with national regulators in other countries and have rapid access to regulatory information about products we import to Bhutan, Sonam Dorji, the former head of Bhutans Drug Regulatory Authority said. We are immensely pleased to be a part of this initiative and look forward to its implementation. The SEARN countries include: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste.