Latin American countries to set up central medicines regulator
This article was originally published in Scrip
Medicines produced in Latin America's left-wing ALBA group member countries could soon be approved and registered by a central regulator.
ALBA, the Bolivarian alternative for the people of the Americas, includes Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua and Dominica. Member country representatives met earlier this month to debate the creation of a new regulatory centre.
"The idea is that the centre will be responsible for evaluating, approving and awarding a registration that would be valid across the ALBA group," the group's Dr Amilcar Raba told Scrip.
The centre is also likely to drive the use of generic medicines, which are generally favoured by member country national policies, and benefit local companies, which tend to produce generics.
Meanwhile, ALBA representatives are working on a list of essential medicines, based on existing country lists, for the centre, says Dr Raba. Head-quartered in Havana, Cuba, the centre will also help fight counterfeit medicines.
"We are hoping that the centre will be up and running towards the end of 2010, if everything goes to plan," says Dr Raba.
ALBA is also debating intellectual property rights (sripnews.com, August 13th, 2009).