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Supporting Pharmaceutical Harmonisation in COMESA

9 June 2005

Pills
"The development of the health sector, and in particular the pharmaceutical industry, is vital for the development of the region."
Harmonisation of pharmaceutical regulations across the 21 member states of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) will move one step closer in June 2005 at a workshop in Lusaka, Zambia, supported by the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation.

Delegates from across the COMESA region will meet from 13 to 15 June 2005 to finalise a set of regulatory documents and discuss plans to reduce the level of imports into the region. They will also address ways of enhancing inter-country trade.

A recent study, sponsored by the Commonwealth Secretariat on behalf of COMESA, on ways to improve trade in pharmaceuticals among COMESA states found disparities in the health care and trade regulations within each member state. This has posed as a trade barrier to businesses which aim to compete in the production and supply of pharmaceutical products. Since mid-2004, the Secretariat has been funding a project to overcome this barrier.

George Saibel, Director of the Special Advisory Services Division (SASD) of the Secretariat, said that the findings clearly showed that the sector cannot derive maximum benefits from the existing non-tariff barriers of the Free Trade Area in the COMESA region. He stated: "Pharmaceuticals worth US$8 billion are imported by COMESA member states every year, despite having a large pharmaceutical manufacturing sector in the region. All seven countries consulted during the country investigations agree on the urgency of this project as a means to enhance drug regulatory activities and improve the quality of locally produced pharmaceuticals."

Roland Charles, SASD's Adviser on Enterprise Development, said: "The development of the health sector, and in particular the pharmaceutical industry, is vital for the development of the region. It will ensure availability of affordable and quality pharmaceutical products. The region, which is currently a net importer of pharmaceutical products, has considerable potential for the growth of the pharmaceutical industry. Investment in this sector will improve public health and increase economic development and intra-COMESA trade."

This workshop aims to examine international best practices, as well as regulations and guidelines by the World Health Organisation and Southern African Development Community that can be adopted by COMESA in the harmonisation of pharmaceutical regulations. Action at the national and regional levels would be required to achieve this.

A case study will also be presented on the lessons learned and benefits obtained by the European Union in the regulation of pharmaceuticals through the European Medicines Agency. These benefits have been experienced both nationally and regionally, and could offer a model for the way forward within COMESA.

 

CNIS - the Commonwealth News and Information Service Issue 238, 8 June 2005

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