25–27 April 2017 Bangkok, Thailand
Meeting Report
GREATER MEKONG SUBREGIONAL WORKSHOP ON REGULATORY ACTIONS
TO COUNTER SUBSTANDARD AND FALSIFIED MEDICINES
Greater Mekong Subregional Workshop on Regulatory Actions to Counter Substandard and Falsified Medicines25–27 April 2017 Bangkok, Thailand
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC
Report Series No. RS/2017/GE/14(PHL) English only
MEETING REPORT
GREATER MEKONG SUBREGIONAL WORKSHOP ON
REGULATORY ACTIONS TO COUNTER SUBSTANDARD AND FALSIFIED
MEDICINES
Convened by:
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR SOUTH-EAST ASIA
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
Bangkok, Thailand
25–27 April 2017
Not for sale
Printed and distributed by:
World Health Organization
Regional Office for the Western Pacific
Manila, Philippines
August 2017
NOTE
The views expressed in this report are those of the participants of the Greater Mekong
Subregional Workshop on Regulatory Actions to Counter Substandard and Falsified
Medicines and do not necessarily reflect the policies of the conveners.
This report has been prepared by the World Health Organization Regional Office for the
Western Pacific for Member States in the Region and for those who participated in the
Greater Mekong Subregional Workshop on Regulatory Actions to Counter Substandard and
Falsified Medicines in Bangkok, Thailand from 25 to 27 April 2017.
CONTENTS
SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................ 1
1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 2 1.1 Meeting organization .............................................................................................................. 2 1.2 Meeting objectives .................................................................................................................. 2
2. PROCEEDINGS ................................................................................................................................. 3 2.1 Opening session ...................................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Country presentations and initiatives on regional collaboration ............................................. 3 2.3 Panel discussion on cross-border collaboration ...................................................................... 4 2.4 Group work: Concrete measures/activities in priority areas for cross-border collaboration .. 4
3. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................. 4 3.1 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................. 4
3.1.2 Training workshop .............................................................................................................. 5 3.2 Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 6
3.2.1 Recommendations for Member States ................................................................................ 6 3.2.2 Recommendations for WHO ............................................................................................... 6
ANNEXES .............................................................................................................................................. 7
Annex 1. List of participants
Annex 2. Meeting agenda
Annex 3. Presentations
Keywords: Counterfeit drugs / Drug and narcotic control – legislation & jurisprudence / Fraud /
Mekong Valley
ABBREVIATIONS
ADB Asian Development Bank
AML antimalarial medicine
APLMA Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance
ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations
CoRE Centre of Regulatory Excellence (Singapore)
GMS Greater Mekong Subregion
SEARN South East Asia Regulatory Network
TGA Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)
USP United States Pharmacopeial Convention
1
SUMMARY
Substandard and falsified medicines are a major risk to public health. Substandard and falsified
antimalarial medicines (AMLs) are of particular concern in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS)
because of the spread of drug-resistant malaria. In order to minimize the potential impact of
substandard and falsified AMLs and to support the elimination of artemisinin- and multidrug-resistant
forms of malaria, there is a need for systematic strengthening of regulatory actions in this area. The
World Health Organization (WHO) has taken important steps in addressing the issue by setting up the
WHO Member State Mechanism for international collaboration and the Global Surveillance and
Monitoring System and by conducting two regional training workshops in Asia and the Pacific in
2016.
In continuation of the previous training sessions, this workshop, co-organized by the WHO Regional
Office for the Western Pacific, WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia and Asian Development
Bank (ADB), included a one-day, high-level meeting of heads and senior managers of regulatory
agencies in the GMS, followed by a two-day, hands-on practical training of regulatory inspectors and
malaria supply chain managers.
The objectives of the training were to enhance risk-based, post-market surveillance and inspection of
AMLs and other medicines, targeting high-risk areas within the supply chain and cross-border
regulatory collaboration that will ultimately support the malaria elimination efforts in the GMS, and to
strengthen the regulatory system capacity in general to counter substandard and falsified medicines in
the Member States.
Partner organizations and the WHO regional offices also provided an overview of their objectives and
activities in the regions. During the training workshop for practitioners, WHO headquarters focused
on mapping supply chains and importation routes.
The meeting also provided opportunities for countries to share challenges and successes in improving
quality testing, post-marketing surveillance practices and previous cases of detection of substandard
and falsified products in the GMS.
2
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Meeting organization
A Greater Mekong Subregional Workshop on Regulatory Actions to Counter Substandard and
Falsified Medicines was held in Bangkok, Thailand from 25 to 27 April 2017. The workshop was co-
sponsored by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Health Organization (WHO) regional
offices for South-East Asia and the Western Pacific, and supported by WHO headquarters.It included
a one-day, high-level meeting of senior regulators from national regulatory authorities, followed by a
two-day, hands-on practical training of regulatory inspectors and malaria supply chain managers.
Seventeen participants from Cambodia, India, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar,
Thailand and Viet Nam attended the meeting.
WHO headquarters staff provided a briefing on the global situation to senior regulators and partner
organizations active in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and conducted the hands-on training
focused on mapping supply chains and importation routes as well as identifying hotspots. They
presented techniques for stakeholder engagement, risk-based inspection and post-marketing
surveillance. WHO headquarters staff also advocated cross-border collaboration and the use of WHO
reporting tools for the prevention, detection and response strategy to tackling substandard and
falsified medical products.
Participants from partner organizations were invited as observers and resource persons. They came
from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), United States Pharmacopeial
Convention (USP), Australia Department of Health – Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA),
Centre of Regulatory Excellence (CoRE) at Duke–National University of Singapore Medical School,
Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance (APLMA), South East Asia Regulatory Network (SEARN) and
Lao–Oxford–Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit.
1.2 Meeting objectives
The objectives of the high-level meeting were:
1) to review and discuss domestic gaps, subregional capacities and vulnerabilities to counter
substandard and falsified medicines;
2) to plan concrete national actions to enhance regulatory capacity on prevention, detection and
response; and
3) to identify and agree on the implementation of specific cross-border regulatory collaborative
actions to minimize cross-border circulation of substandard and falsified medicines.
The objectives of the hands-on training workshop were:
1) to strengthen the capacity of national regulators on risk-based surveillance and investigations,
inspections and regulatory enforcement actions;
2) to build skills in communication of potential risks to senior management, the general public
and neighbouring regulatory authorities; and
3) to build capacity for preventive actions to ensure supply chain integrity.
3
2. PROCEEDINGS
2.1 Opening session
Dr Klara Tisocki, Regional Adviser on Essential Drugs and Other Medicines, WHO Regional Office
for South-East Asia, delivered the opening remarks and welcomed participants to the workshop. In
recognition of World Malaria Day (25 April 2017), which had as its theme “A push for prevention”,
she remarked on the dangers of poor-quality and falsified medicines, especially among the most
vulnerable: children, poor and marginalized populations.
Dr Tisocki identified the interaction between poor-quality and ineffective antimalarial medicines
(AMLs) and malaria as one of the leading causes of drug resistance. If AMLs have insufficient
potency, then the parasite can rapidly develop resistance to them. She also noted the worrisome spread
of non-quality-assured and falsified medicines in South-East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Dr Tisocki
insisted on efforts and improvements to be made in the GMS and urgently called for cross-border
collaboration and strengthening of regulatory actions in the region to prevent poor-quality medicines
undermining the progress made on malaria elimination and the importance of including safe and
quality-assured AMLs, in combination with insecticide bednets and indoor residual spraying, in any
effective prevention efforts.
Dr Sonalini Khetrapal, Health Specialist, ADB, welcomed participants and introduced ADB’s projects
for the health sector in the region. The need for strengthening regulatory systems to ensure the quality
of antimalarial medical products in the marketplace was emphasized, with ADB working through
partners such as WHO, CoRE and the Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit
to this end.
Following the welcoming remarks, Ms Uhjin Kim, Technical Officer for Pharmaceuticals, WHO
Regional Office for the Western Pacific, presented the meeting objectives and the agenda for the
meeting. She remarked on the effects of substandard and falsified medicines on patient safety,
mistrust in public health systems and contribution to drug resistance, especially in the case of AMLs
in the GMS. She pointed out the importance of the meeting to discuss priority actions needed for
containment of artemisinin resistance and to reach malaria elimination by 2030.
2.2 Country presentations and initiatives on regional collaboration
Thailand recognizes that malaria is an important public health threat in cross-border, rural and
forested areas. Although AMLs are not sold in pharmacies, there are illegal sellers in border areas
who supply substandard and falsified AMLs. Difficulties in controlling medicines in rural and cross-
border areas are increased by the differences in the lists of restricted medicines between countries.
Cambodia receives support from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to control
the quality of medicines and for post-marketing surveillance activities. The presentation pointed out
the need for capacity-building in the country, especially in regard to laboratory testing.
Myanmar also receives support for quality control from the Global Fund. Dr Thin Zar Thike signalled
the difficulties in controlling the smuggling of drugs in cross-border and mountainous areas because
of a lack of capacity in rural areas, terrorist presence and growing substandard and falsified medicines
market. The national quality control laboratory obtained ISO 17025 accreditation in December 2016.
4
In the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, although the percentage of substandard and falsified
products has significantly decreased in the last years, there is a need for improvement in testing, to
increase post-marketing surveillance to prevent the availability unlicensed products in the market
even after several years as well as to continue vigilance activities and collaboration with the other
countries in the region.
Viet Nam signalled control of resistance to artemisinin as a priority area and the need for
communication and information sharing on substandard and falsified products.
Finishing off the session, India presented on a new online drug licensing system in the State of
Madhya Pradesh that will be used to ease the application and evaluation processes for new licences
for drug manufacturers and retailers. At the central level, the Central Drugs Standard Control
Organization (CDSCO) has also developed an online drug licensing system, SUGAM, for the
application, processing and granting of new permission by the central drug regulatory authority.
2.3 Panel discussion on cross-border collaboration
A panel discussion on cross-border collaboration was led by Mr Gerald Heddell, Director, Inspection,
Enforcement and Standards of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, with the
participation of high-level representatives from five GMS countries: Mr Hean Kimseat from
Cambodia, Dr Lamphone Syhakhang from the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Dr Thin Zar from
Myanmar, Mr Sombat Hirunsupachote from Thailand and Ms Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy from Viet Nam.
The objective for the discussion was to identify the top three priorities in cross-border collaboration.
Dr Heddell shared experiences and results from the collaboration among countries within the
European Medicines Agency network. Delegates agreed on the difficulties to control medicines in
rural, cross-border and forested areas where there is a presence of mobile populations and informal
vendors and where there is higher incidence of malaria. They shared common challenges such as the
lack of financial and human resources; the need for capacity-building, especially in the field of
laboratory testing and investigation; and the need for better coordination with law enforcement
institutions at the country level.
Some of the countries already collaborate at national and provincial levels and have signed bilateral
memorandums of understanding. However, the discussants agreed on the need for more collaboration
and the development of a regulatory framework in the GMS.
2.4 Group work: Concrete measures/activities in priority areas for cross-border
collaboration
Countries were divided into three groups and identified priority actions for cross-border collaboration
in the future. The group work was moderated by Ms Lucky S Slamet, Former Head of the Indonesia
National Agency of Food and Drug Control.
3. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1 Conclusions
As per the results of post-marketing surveillance data shared by the Member States in the GMS,
countries such as Cambodia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic had experienced a substantial
decline in the number of falsified products detected in their countries, but Myanmar still faces
5
challenges in controlling poor-quality products. There was an agreement among senior regulators at
the workshop that some cross-border areas between countries are vulnerable and are at risk of being
infiltrated by substandard and falsified medicines.
The common challenges and issues faced by the countries are: limited number of inspectors to
investigate and monitor formal and informal markets; insufficient laboratory capacity for quick
turnaround of testing; and lack of coordination with other regulatory enforcement institutions such as
police and customs in vulnerable areas such as hard-to-reach, mountainous and/or border areas.
Despite existing mechanisms such as ASEAN, there are limited multilateral and bilateral discussions.
There is no umbrella framework for regulatory collaboration in the GMS. Some countries have taken
the initiative to sign bilateral memorandums of understanding, but they are time-consuming and may
not be efficient as numerous bilateral agreements are then needed to cover all six GMS countries:
Cambodia, China, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam.
The discussion focused on priority areas to enhance cross-border collaboration and to identify key
potential regulatory actions needed to eliminate poor-quality medicines. The three priority areas are:
1) post-marketing monitoring of quality and safety; 2) regulatory capacity strengthening at the
provincial level; and 3) information sharing on detected substandard and falsified medicines and any
product that was withdrawn or recalled from the markets.
The meeting also provided an opportunity for participants to discuss and share ongoing activities with
the development partners involved in malaria elimination in the GMS (USP, TGA, Lao–Oxford–
Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, APLMA and CoRE at Duke–National University
of Singapore Medical School). The speed networking session also provided opportunities for
participants to discuss bilateral issues and potential joint activities.
3.1.2 Training workshop
Participants mapped the supply chain route of imported products from neighbouring countries,
identified areas of high incidence of malaria and artemisinin resistance, and pinpointed at-risk ports of
entry for substandard and falsified medicines along the borders.
It was acknowledged that collaboration and information sharing between provincial authorities along
the high-risk port areas are important. This was followed by a discussion on awareness raising among
all stakeholders such as police, customs, health workers, communities and the private sector.
The participants received training on stakeholder engagement, risk-based investigation and inspection,
and risk communication. The Lao–Oxford–Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit
presented their ADB-funded project to identify and compare the latest screening and field detection
devices for medicines quality assessment. Further research is needed to identify cost-effective devices
that are appropriate for country situations. USP conducted training on sampling and testing.
Participants acknowledged the importance of information sharing and collaboration in post-marketing
surveillance as duplication of efforts would be an inefficient way of utilizing limited resources for
regulation.
6
3.2 Recommendations
3.2.1 Recommendations for Member States
Member States are encouraged to do the following:
1) to strengthen post-marketing surveillance to monitor the quality and safety of products in the
market;
2) to strengthen the regulatory capacity at the provincial level and to promote coordination and
collaboration with other enforcement agencies such as police and customs;
3) to share information with neighbouring countries in the GMS on substandard and falsified
products detected and any products withdrawn or recalled from the market; and
4) to promote reporting to the WHO Rapid Alert System to help and alert other Member States.
3.2.2 Recommendations for WHO
WHO is requested to do the following:
1) to reflect the suggestions from Member States into Global Fund Regional Artemisinin-
resistance Initiative (RAI-2) malaria pharmaceutical activities to support Member States in
strengthening regulatory capacity;
2) to support Member States to organize bilateral cross-border workshops in provinces along
country borders to strengthen regulatory capacity, collaboration and information sharing; and
3) to strengthen the capacity of Member States in regulatory enforcement actions on
manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers to tackle poor-quality products.
7
ANNEXES
Annex 1: List of participants
CAMBODIA
Mr Hean Kimseat: Vice Chief of Regulation Bureau, Department of Drugs and Food, Ministry of
Health, Phnom Penh, email: [email protected]
Mr Sea Thol: Chief of Essential Drug Bureau, Department of Drugs and Food, Ministry of Health,
Phnom Penh, email: [email protected]
Mr Ouk Rada: Logistic Manager. National Center for Entomology, Parasitology and Malaria
Control, Phnom Penh, email: [email protected]
INDIA
Dr Naresh Sharma: Assistant Drugs Controller (I), Office of Controller, Food and Drug
Administration, email: [email protected]
Mr Shobhit Koshta: Deputy Drug Controller, Office of Controller, Food and Drug Administration,
email: [email protected]
LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
Dr Lamphone Syhakhang: Deputy Director, Food and Drug Department, Ministry of Health
Vientiane, email: [email protected]
Dr Bounxou Keohavong: Deputy Director, Food and Drug Department, Ministry of Health,
Vientiane, email: [email protected]
Dr Simone Nambanya: Deputy Director, Centre of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology
(CMPE), Ministry of Health, Vientiane, email: [email protected]
MYANMAR
Dr Thin Zar Thike: Deputy Director (Drug Control), Department of Food and Drug Administration,
Nay Pyi Taw, Tel: 095417394, email: [email protected]
Ms Zune Lay New: Pharmacist (Regional Inspector, Drug Control Section, Department of Food and
Drug Administration, Yangon, Tel: 0943116102; 09791976926, email: [email protected]
Ms Aye Thet Hnin: Pharmacist (Regional Inspector), Drug Control Section, Department of Food and
Drug Administration, Mandalay, Tel: 09256013315; 09797342274, email: [email protected]
THAILAND
Mr Sombat Hirunsupachote: Pharmacist, Senior Professional Level Inspectorate Unit, Division of
Post-marketing Control, Bureau of Drug Control, Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Public
Health, Tel: (662) 590 7405, Fax: (662) 5918422, email: [email protected]
8
Ms Sansanee Rojanapanus: Public Health Technical Officer, Professional Level, Bureau of Vector
Borne Diseases, Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Tel: (662) 5903106, Fax:
(662) 5918422, email: [email protected]
Mr Sermrat Chaiyakun: Pharmacist, Professional Level, Inspectorate Unit, Division of Post-
marketing Control, Bureau of Drug Control, Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Public
Health, Tel: (662) 5907315, Fax: (662) 5918489, email: [email protected]
VIET NAM
Ms Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy: Deputy Head, Drug Registration Division, Drug Administration of Viet
Nam, Hanoi, email: [email protected]
Dr Bui Quang Phuc: Head of the Department of Malaria, Research and Treatment National Institute
of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology (NIMPE), Hanoi, email: [email protected]
Ms Hoang Thanh Mai: Deputy Head of Drug Information and Advertising Management Divisio,
Drug Administration of Viet Nam, Hanoi, email: [email protected]; [email protected]
TEMPORARY ADVISERS
Mr Gerald Heddell: Director of Inspection, Enforcement and Standards, Medicines and Healthcare
products, Regulatory Agency (MHRA), London, email: [email protected]
Ms Lucky S Slamet: Former Head, National Agency of Food, and Drug Control (NAFDC), Jakarta,
email: [email protected]
RESOURCE PERSONS
Dr Paul Newton: Professor of Tropical Medicine, Director of Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-
Wellcome Trust Research Unit (LOMWRU), Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, email:
Dr Celine Caillet: Scientific Coordinator and Senior Scientist, Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-
Wellcome Trust Research Unit (LOMWRU), Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane. email:
[email protected]; [email protected]
OBSERVERS
Asian Development Bank
Dr Douglas Ball: ADB Regulatory Consultant, Asian Development Bank, 6 ADB Avenue, Ortigas
Center, Mandaluyong, email: [email protected]
Dr Sonalini Khetrapal: Health Specialist, Asian Development Bank, 6 ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center,
Mandaluyong, email: [email protected]
Ms Editha Santos: RMTF Consultant (Finance/TA Administration), SDCC (Health Sector), Asian
Development Bank, 6 ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong email:
9
Mr Valerio Reggi: ADB Regulatory Consultant, Asian Development Bank, Myanmar, email:
Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance
Dr Geoff Clark: Senior Strategic Health Adviser (Access), Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance,
#04-01 Helios, 11 Biopolis Way, Singapore 138667, Singapore, email: [email protected]
Ms Marie Lamy: Senior Associate Services & Commodities (Access), Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria
Alliance’ #04-01 Helios, 11 Biopolis Way, Singapore 138667, Singapore. email: [email protected]
Mr Paul Lalvani: Senior Advisor on Access, Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance, #04-01 Helios,
11 Biopolis Way, Singapore 138667, Tel: +66-910369333, email:
Centre of Regulatory Excellence
Prof John CW Lim: Executive Director, Centre of Regulatory Excellence, Duke-NUS Medical
School (CoRE), Singapore, email: [email protected]
Prof James Leong: Assistant Professor, Head of Education, Centre of Regulatory Excellence, Duke-
NUS Medical School (CoRE), Singapore, email: [email protected]
United States Pharmacopeial Convention
Dr Souly Phanouvong: Senior Manager, Asia Programs, Promoting the Quality of Medicines (PQM),
Global Health Impact Programs (GHIP), United States Pharmacopeial Convention, Rockville, MD
20852-1790, United States of America, Fax (1-301)816-8374, email: [email protected]
Therapeutic Goods Administration
Mr Mina Mounir: Director (Principal Evaluator), Cardiovascular & Analgesic Drugs, Therapeutic
Goods Administration, Canberra, Australia, email: [email protected]
SECRETARIAT
WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia
Dr Klara Tisocki: Regional Adviser (EDM), Essential Drugs and Other Medicines, Department of
Health Systems Development, WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia, Indraprastha Estate, New
Delhi-110002, India, Tel: +91-11-23370804, Fax: +91-11-23370197, email: [email protected]
Dr Manisha Shridhar: Regional Advisor, Intellectual Property Rights, Trade & Health, Department
of Health Systems Development, WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia, Indraprastha Estate,
New Delhi-110002, India, Tel: +91-11-23370804, Fax: +91-11-23370197, email: [email protected]
Dr Madhur Gupta: Technical Officer- Pharmaceuticals, Office of the WHO Representative to India,
RK Khanna Tennis Stadium, Safdarjung Enclave, Africa Avenue, New Delhi-110029, India, Phone :
+91-11-66564800 23274, Mobile : 9560497171 Fax : +91-11-26162996, email: [email protected]
10
Mr Liviu Vedrasco: Technical Officer, WHO Country Office Thailand, 88/20 Permanent Secretary
Building Ministry of Public Health Tiwanon Road 11000 - Nonthaburi, Thailand, email:
WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific
Ms Uhjin Kim (Responsible Officer): Technical Officer, Essential Medicines and Health
Technologies, World Health Organization, Regional Office for the Western Pacific United Nations
Avenue, 1000 Manila, Tel no.: + 63 2 528 9028, email: [email protected]
Ms Eva Mata: Consultant, Essential Medicines and Health Technologies, World Health Organization,
Regional Office for the Western Pacific, United Nations Avenue 1000 Manila, email: [email protected]
WHO headquarters
Mr Michael Deats: Group Lead, SSFFC Surveillance and Monitoring, Safety and Vigilance,
Essential Medicines and Health Products, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, Office:
+41 22 791 10 83, Mobile: +41 79 475 55 42, email: [email protected]
Ms Pernette Bourdillon-Esteve: Analyst, SSFFC Surveillance and Monitoring, Safety and Vigilance,
Essential Medicines and Health Products, World Health Organization Geneva, Switzerland, email:
11
Annex 2: Meeting agenda
High-level meeting – 1st day
Tuesday 25 April 2017
08.30–09:00 Registration
09:00–09:15
Opening Speech from SEARO RD Dr Klara Tisocki
WHO SEARO
Welcome remarks Dr Sonalini Khetrapal
ADB
09:15–09:25 Participant introduction All
09:25–09:30 Workshop objectives Ms Uhjin Kim
WHO WPRO
09:30–09:45 Group photo All
09:45–10:00 Morning tea
10:00–10:30 Substandard and Falsified Medical Products: a global
update
Mr Michael Deats
WHO HQ
10:30–11:00 Impact of substandard and falsified medicines in the
Mekong Region
Prof Paul Newton
Lao-Oxford-Mahosot
11:00–12:30
Regulatory actions in the GMS
Current progress and approaches to counter SF medical
products
o Cambodia
o Lao People’s Democratic Republic
o Myanmar
o Thailand
o Viet Nam
o India
15 mins each
12:30–12:45 Discussion
12:45–13:45 Lunch
13:45–14:30
Initiatives on regional collaboration
o ASEAN
o USP
o APLMA
o TGA
o CoRE
o APEC
o SEARN
5 mins each
14:30–15:30
Panel discussion on cross-border collaboration
Existing mechanisms
Benefits
Barriers
Output: identification of top 3 priority areas for cross-
border collaboration
Facilitator:
Mr Gerald Heddell
Panel Members: Head
of NRAs from GMS
15:30–15:45 Afternoon tea
15:45–16:45
Group work
Concrete measures/ activities in priority areas for cross-
border collaboration in 2018-2020
WHO, WHAT, WHEN, HOW
3 groups
16:45–17:15
Plenary
Feedback from the groups
10 minutes each
17:15–17:45 Speed Networking
- Strengthening bilateral communications
All Member States
12
17:45–17:50 Closure
18:00–19:00 Welcome reception at Mondo Terrace
Training sessions – 2nd
and 3rd
day
Wednesday 26 April 2017
09:00 – 09:15 Training Workshop Objectives Mr Michael Deats, WHO
HQ
09:15 – 10:30 Exercise.
Mapping the Regional Supply routes for
medicines
Country input on routes and types of
importation of medicines
How do substandard and falsified medicines
enter the supply chain
All
10:30 – 11:00 Morning Tea
11:00 – 11:30 Discussion.
Using all available data to identify risk
hotspots
All
11:30 – 12:00 Discussion.
Stakeholder engagement
All
12:00 – 13:00 Best use of limited resources
Risk based post-market surveillance
Risk based inspection
Mr Gerald Heddell
MHRA, UK
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 14:30 Conducting Market Surveys
All
14:30 – 15:30 Discussion
Planning Cross-border cooperation and
country and activities
Communication and collaboration between
NRAs to strengthen national enforcement
actions/ recalls
Dr Lucky Slamet and all
delegates
15:30 – 16:00 Afternoon Tea
16:00 – 17:00 Exercise
Seizure of suspected falsified medicines at
border crossing
All
Thursday 27 April 2017
09:00 – 09:45 Screening and Field Detection devices Celine Caillet
Lao-Oxford-Mahosot
Hospital
09:45 – 10:30 Laboratory Practice
Testing Methodologies
Interpreting Laboratory reports
Submission of samples to laboratory
Access to laboratories, nationally / regionally
Souly Phanouvong
United States
Pharmacopiea
13
10:30 – 11:00 Morning Tea
11:00 – 12:00 Using WHO tools
Global Surveillance and Monitoring System
Portal, Search tool and reporting
Mr Michael Deats
Mrs Bourdillon-Esteve
WHO HQ
12:00 – 13:00 Discussion: Risk Communication
National/ Regional/ International Practice
WHO and ASEAN Rapid Alerts
Recalls, National Experiences
Mr Michael Deats
Mrs Bourdillon-Esteve
WHO HQ
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 15:00 Discussion: Investigation, Enforcement and Sanctions
Country experience
Legislation
Use of sanctions
Mr Michael Deats
Mrs Bourdillon-Esteve
WHO HQ
15:00 – 15:30 Prevention, Detection, and Response
Mr Michael Deats
Mrs Bourdillon-Esteve
WHO HQ
15:30 – 15:45 Afternoon Tea
15:45 – 16:30 Presentation of Certificates and Closure WHO
www.wpro.who.int