First annual meeting of South-East Asia Regulatory Network (‎SEARN)

The First Annual Meeting of South-East Asia Regulatory Network (SEARN) was organized in New Delhi, India, from 11 to 12 April 2017. The WHO South-East Asia Region Member States launched the South-East Asia Regulatory Network (SEARN) to enhance information sharing, collaboration and convergence of medical product regulatory practices across the Region to guarantee access to quality medical products. 

The meeting was attended by 50 participants and technical experts from nine Member States of the Region. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea could not participate as the nominations could not be received in time and Nepal due to travel restrictions in view of elections in the country. Mr K.L. Sharma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India, Chaired the meeting, Mr Ondri Dwi Sampurno, Acting Deputy Chairman, Therapeutic Product, Narcotic, Psychotropic and Addictive Substances Control, National Agency of Drug and Food Control, Ministry of Health, Republic of Indonesia co-chaired the session. Two rapporteurs were nominated to report on two working groups: Mr Kinga Jamphel, Drug Controller, Drug Regulatory Authority, Thimphu, Bhutan and Dr Kamal Jayasinghe, Chief Executive Officer, National Medicines Regulatory Authority, Ministry of Health, Nutrition & Indigenous Medicine, Colombo, Sri Lanka.