The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently designated Health Canada, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare/Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (MHLW/PMDA), and the United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as WHO-Listed Authorities (WLAs). This recognition highlights their adherence to the highest international regulatory standards for medical products. The designation aims to improve global access to quality-assured medical products, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

With these new additions, the WHO now recognizes 39 agencies worldwide as WLAs. The inclusion of these reputable agencies is expected to facilitate faster and broader access to safe and effective medical products. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the importance of strong regulatory authorities, noting that they are essential in ensuring global public health and access to high-quality medical products.

Additionally, South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), an early adopter of the WLA framework, has successfully expanded its scope to cover all regulatory functions. This expansion underscores the commitment of these authorities to regulatory excellence and their role in promoting public health.

The WLA framework is particularly important in addressing the challenges faced by approximately 70% of countries with inadequate regulatory systems. By enhancing regulatory standards and trust in medical products, the WHO’s initiative is a significant step towards improving healthcare access worldwide. This expansion supports the goal of ensuring that people everywhere have access to safe, effective, and high-quality medical products.

Some content for this article was sourced from who.int.