The FDA awarded US$904,000 to Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) “to research and develop an information hub for medical products and related regulatory processes and systems in the Americas Region.” FDA said the “hub” will collect and produce data and map structures and processes in the areas of medical products, including drugs, biologics, vaccines, medical devices and other medical products, and related regulatory processes and systems. The award “will help FDA, and all PAHO member states, to better understand other countries’ regulatory systems, support capacity to use harmonized standards and guidelines across countries, and prevent, and if necessary respond more quickly to, problems in the medical product supply chain.” The FDA noted that “regulatory agencies in the Americas Region have different legal and regulatory frameworks, different institutional and administrative structures, different standards and guidelines, and different ways of collecting and analyzing information. Better collaboration among these agencies will build confidence and knowledge among the participants, stakeholders, and ultimately benefit patients and consumers throughout the region.”

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm228423.htm

PAHO: http://new.paho.org/hq/index.php