The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced today that the UK will play a larger international role in ensuring that medicines and medical devices are regulated safely and efficiently around the world, following its acceptance as a full member of three international work-sharing partnerships.
The International Medical Device Regulatory Forum (IMDRF) and the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) are two of these organizations that are working to improve global harmonisation and convergence in medicine and medical device regulation.
The MHRA will exchange experience with other prominent organizations, facilitate the creation of regulatory standards, and encourage better regulatory harmonisation throughout the world as a result of these collaborations.
This will aid in the timely delivery of new medical items not only in the UK but throughout the world.
The MHRA has also been recognized as a member of the Medical Devices Innovation Consortium, located in the United States (MDIC).
This public-private collaboration brings together regulatory agencies, industry, non-profits, and patient organizations from across the world to enhance the development, evaluation, and review of novel medical innovations.
By reducing the route from discovery to safety to access, transformative medical technology may reach those who need it sooner.
“We are delighted to join these three international organisations to collaborate on regulatory alignment that will help deliver safer, innovative, and more cost-effective medicines and medical devices to the people who need them sooner,” said Dr Glenn Wells, Chief International and Partnerships Officer at the MHRA.
“We are currently developing a world-leading regime for regulating medicines and medical devices in the United Kingdom that prioritizes patient safety while fostering innovation, and we look forward to sharing expertise with partner organizations for the benefit of patients not just in the United Kingdom but around the world.”