http://www.paho.org/journal/

Health regulation is regarded as one of public health’s basic functions. Effective regulation of medicines promotes and protects the public’s health by guaranteeing medicines quality, safety, and efficacy; promoting the adequate manufacture, storage, and distribution of medicines;facilitating the fight against substandard, spurious, falsely-labeled, falsified, or counterfeit (SSFFC) medical products; providing the necessary information to health professionals and patients so they can use medicines rationally; and ensuring that access to medicines is not hindered by inefficient regulatory frameworks. Developing a national regulatory system is, hence, a critical component of a national health system. PAHO/WHO Member States have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening regional regulatory capacities for health technologies at PAHO’s 50th Directing Council in 2010 when they endorsed the Resolution CD50.R9 “Strengthening National Regulatory Authorities for Medicines and Biologicals”.