Second Workshop for National Regulatory Authority for Vaccines in the Western Pacific Region
11-14 March 2013 - Manila, Philippines
Background Information
Many countries in the Western Pacific Region have expressed a need for the exchange of regulatory information and expertise between national regulatory authorities (NRAs) to establish or strengthen NRAs and assist them to achieve functionality. The WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific was mandated to establish a regional alliance of NRAs for vaccines. A task force committee, comprised of functional NRAs, namely Australia, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, has been established and has drafted a regional alliance concept paper.
Most countries with non-functional NRAs (based on WHO criteria) have yet to conduct a self-assessment using the WHO NRA tool, so they do not have the information needed to develop their Institutional Development Plan (IDP) to establish or strengthen regulatory systems and functions.
To strengthen NRA capacity, this workshop will share the latest technical information and developments in the field of vaccine regulations. Participants will finalize and endorse the concept papers for the regional alliance. The workshop will also facilitate conducting countries’ self-assessments using the WHO NRA tool. Completion of the assessment provides information to develop or revise each country’s IDP. Finally, meeting/workshop participants will identify some key activities for the Regional Alliance of NRAs for vaccines workplan.
Objectives
- To finalize and endorse the concept paper of the regional alliance of national regulatory authorities for vaccines in the Western Pacific Region
- To assist countries to conduct NRA self-assessment using the WHO NRA tool and to develop or update their Institutional Development Plans (IDPs)