UK and Russia sign MoU on Regulatory Cooperation on Medicines

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with its Russian counterpart; the State Institute of Drugs and Good Practices of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.

This agreement will increase collaboration between the two bodies and further enhance cooperation in the field of regulation of medicines.

The MoU is designed to establish mechanisms of cooperation which will facilitate:

• the exchange of information on medicines regulations
• the exchange of safety information
• cooperation on Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) inspections
• collaboration on enforcement activities

Dr Sam Atkinson, MHRA’s Director of the Inspection, Enforcement and Standards Division, said:

Working in an increasingly global environment, the sharing of intelligence between medicines regulators is the cornerstone of protecting the health system worldwide.

Formalising our already close working relationships with international counterparts helps facilitate this exchange of information.

This makes it easier for us to track down criminals, promote good practices internationally, and identify emerging safety trends to protect public health.