Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities (ICDRA) - Bahrain, 10-13 November 1996: The challenge of biotechnology: Regional initiative for vaccine quality assurance

Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities (ICDRA) - Bahrain, 10-13 November 1996
(1996; 111 pages)

Table of Contents

	Opening ceremony
		Welcome speech by His Excellency Dr Faisal Al-Mousawi, Minister of Health, State of Bahrain
		Opening speech by Dr Hiroshi Nakajima, Director-General, World Health Organization
		Address by Dr Hussein A. Gezairy, Regional Director, WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region
	International harmonization of regulatory requirements Plenary: 10 November 1996
		Introduction - Dr S. Nightingale, United States of America
	Global harmonization
		WHO and regulatory harmonization for pharmaceuticals - Dr. Idänpään-Heikkilä, WHO
	Tripartite harmonization - International Conference on Harmonization (ICH)
		Structure and working methods of the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) - Margaret Cone, International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations (IFPMA)
		Statement from ICH 3 - Dr O. Doi, Japan
		Viewpoint of an industry representative from a non-ICH country: quality - Professor Mamdouh A. Razik Moustafa, Egypt
		Viewpoint of a regulator from a non-ICH country: safety - Professor L. Rägo, Estonia
		Progress report from the ICH working group on efficacy - Professor C. Naito, Japan
		ICH efficacy documents - a non-ICH country view - Dr J. McEwen, Australia
	Regional harmonization activities
		The new European marketing authorization system - Mr F. Sauer, European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA)
		Regional harmonization in the Americas - Dr E. Fefer, WHO/AMRO
	Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)
		The implications of the TRIPS agreement for the protection of pharmaceutical Inventions - Adrian Otten, World Trade Organization
		Effect of WTO agreements on pharmaceutical trade in Arab countries - Mr M. Jafar Redha, Bahrain
		Closing remarks - Dr S. Nightingale, United States of America
		Recommendations
	The mission of drug regulatory authorities
		The importance of the mission - Dr A.W. Broekmans, Netherlands
		Regulatory control In a changing environment - Dr E. Fefer, WHO/AMRO
		Financing of a drug regulatory authority and user fees - Ms Layla Abdul-Rahman, Bahrain
		Structure and financing of a drug regulatory authority - Dr T. Tominaga, Japan
		Structure and financing of a drug regulatory authority - Dr M.N. Dauramanzi, Zimbabwe
		Discussion group conclusions
		Recommendations
	Counterfeit drugs
		Combating counterfeiters - Dr K. Jones, United Kingdom
		Counterfeit medicines: a special case for concern - Margaret Cone, IFPMA
		Country studies on counterfeit drugs - Mr Eshetu Wondemagegnehu, DAP/WHO
		WHO guidelines to combat counterfeit drugs - Professor T. Paal, Hungary
		Rapid detection of counterfeit drags using simple tests - Dr S. Mizuno, Japan
		WHO data base on counterfeit medicines - Dr K. Kimura, WHO
		Recommendations
	Computer-assisted drug registration
		Introduction - Professor A. Toumi, Tunisia
		Description of the software package - Dr V. Reggi, WHO
		Country experience in computerized registration - Dr E. Kriel, South Africa
		Country experience in computerized registration - Mr B.K. Khakurel, Nepal
		Country experience in computerized registration - Professor A. Quintana, Venezuela
		Recommendations
	Updates
		Use and future of the International Pharmacopoeia - Professor T. Paal, Hungary
		Drug donations: the Eritrean experience - Kidane Woldeyesus
		Report on diethylene glycol poisoning in Haiti - Dr E. Fefer, WHO/AMRO
		Regulatory measures to allow timely provision of controlled medicines in emergency situations - Mr T. Yoshida, WHO
		Recommendation
	The challenge of biotechnology
		Introduction - Dr E. Griffiths, WHO
		Regulatory experience in countries with an evolving biotechnology industry - Dr C. Sanchez, Cuba
		Regulatory experience In countries with an evolving biotechnology industry - Dr T. Bektimirov, Russia
		Regulatory experience in Importing countries - Dr Mahmood Dada, Saudi Arabia
		Regulatory experience In Importing countries - Dr B. Njue, Kenya
		Regional initiative for vaccine quality assurance - Dr A. Saleh, WHO/EMRO
		Current quality control Issues: cell substrates used for the production of biologicals - Dr T. Hayakawa, Japan
		Recommendations
	Pharmacovigilance
		Introduction - Dr M. ten Ham, WHO
		Monitoring of adverse drug reactions - Professor E. Gabrielian, Armenia
		Monitoring of adverse drug reactions - Dr J. McEwen, Australia
		Monitoring of adverse drug reactions - Dr P. Folb, South Africa
		Monitoring of adverse drug reactions - Dr E. Kkolos, Cyprus
		Recommendations
	WHO Certification scheme: current developments
		How to improve implementation of the Scheme in a developed country - Mr H. Smallenbroek, Netherlands
		Certification of pharmaceutical substances - Mr H. Ikäläinen, Finland - Chairman of Pharmaceutical Inspection Convention (PIC)
	Regulatory control and assessment of herbal medicines
		WHO'S activities - Dr X. Zhang, WHO
		WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants - Dr Konstantin Keller, Germany
		Herbal medicines: country situation - Mr A. Chan, Hong Kong
		Herbal medicines: country situation - Mrs Tan Shook Fong, Singapore
		Recommendations
	Registration requirements for multisource products (generics)
		Use of standardized marketing authorization - Professor A. Hildebrandt, Germany
		Requirements for dissolution tests and need for in vivo bioequivalence studies - Dr R. Williams, United States of America
		Evaluation and registration requirements for individual multisource (generic) pharmaceutical products - E.C.M. Santero, Philippines
		Recommendations
	List of participants

Regional initiative for vaccine quality assurance - Dr A. Saleh, WHO/EMRO

For several years, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean has fostered an initiative for regional self-sufficiency in vaccine production. A key to the success of this initiative is to improve confidence in the quality of vaccines. In order to achieve this, a practical quality assurance system must be in place for vaccines, which can ideally be extended to cover other biological and biotechnology-derived products. A regional plan of action was therefore formulated during a meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan in July 1995, covering the following elements:

1. Establishment of a national control authority.
2. Promotion of quality assurance at national and regional level.
3. Development of an efficient system for the registration of biologicals.
4. Development of a legal framework to support the quality assurance system.
5. Development of a national inspection system.
6. Establishment of access to biological quality control testing facilities.
7. Development of a quality assurance system at nation production facilities.
8. Establishment of quality assurance within the biologicals supply system.

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