Expert View: What is needed to accelerate access to quality medicines and vaccines in Africa?

In a globalized world, the regulatory landscape is changing every day to address, in tandem, old and new challenges, write Paul Dreaden of AbbVie and Dakshina Reddy of Novartis, members of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) African Regulatory Network.

With regulatory systems increasingly under pressure globally, what will be the most promising weapons in the fight to make regulatory systems in Africa work more efficiently? And how to pay the bill for the extensive regulatory capacity building needed for the region? What is required so that current and future generations in Africa can access quality innovative medicines and vaccines in a timely manner to sustain healthier societies? These questions are precisely what the IFPMA, the Drug Information Association (DIA), in sponsorship with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Bank have on the agenda for the fourth Africa Regulatory Conference taking place on 27-28 April in Dakar, Senegal.

Regulatory adjustments