BRIEF—Guido Rasi elected chairman of ICMRA

The International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA) has elected European Medicines Agency executive director Guido Rasi as its new chairman.

The ICMRA brings together the leaders of regulatory authorities around the world to provide strategic directions for enhanced cooperation on common scientific, regulatory or safety challenges, improved communication and information sharing between its members and effective global crisis response mechanisms.

Prof Rasi will be supported by two vice chairmen: Dr Yasuhiro Fujiwara, chief executive of the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), Japan, and Professor John Skerritt, Deputy Secretary of Health, Commonwealth Department of Health, Australia.

He follows Dr Ian Hudson, chief executive of the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA), in this role.