The 18th edition of the ACCSQ PPWG Meeting was held in Singapore between 7-10 Jun., 2011. The event host – HSA- welcomed drug regulators from 9 ASEAN member countries (with Myanmar absent) and the observers from the pharma industry represented by the APC (ASEAN Pharmaceutical Club) representing the generic drug industry, and APRIA (ASEAN Pharmaceutical Research Industry Association) representing the interests of the proprietary drug industry.
Briefly, the ACCSQ (ASEAN Consultative Committee for Standards and Quality) was formed in 1992 by the ASEAN leaders to pursue the harmonisatin and remove trade barriers to drive free trade within the ASEAN region with the aim of achieving the single ASEAN economic community called AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade Area) by the target date of 2015. The pharmaceutical sector is tasked under the PPWG (Pharmaceutical Products Working Group) which started its first meeting in 1999 and has been chaired by Malaysia currently helmed by Dato’ Eisah Abdul Rahman.
The PPWG has made many significant headways in drafting and implementing the ACTR/ACTD for dossier submission; signed an ASEAN sectoral mutual recognition agreement on GMP inspection of manufacturers; implement an ASEAN post market alert system for health products; also spearheaded the requirement for ASEAN long term stability requirements for drug products marketed in our hot and humid conditions which is now commonly known as the WHO zone IVb conditions a.k.a the 30oC/75% RH long term storage conditions.
Some of the photo proceedings of the event are captured below.
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