Pharmaceuticals: Regulatory Agencies
The National Administration of Drugs, Foods, and Medical Devices, also known as Administración Nacional de Medicamentos, Alimentos y Tecnología Médica (ANMAT), is responsible for the oversight and regulation of the healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and food and beverage industries within Argentina. The site contains information on regulations, press releases, and publications as well as state agency and medical publications links. Some areas of the site are only available in Spanish.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is the regulatory authority for the Australian pharmaceutical industry. The TGA oversees and regulates numerous therapeutic goods, including prescription medicines, vaccines, and medical devices. The site contains information catered specifically to consumers, health professionals, and industry manufacturers. It also lists recent pharmaceutical recalls and alerts.
The Bulgarian Drug Agency (BDA) is associated with the country's Ministry of Health. It is responsible for overseeing the safe production of medicines in Bulgaria. The BDA inspects laboratories, drugs, and medical devices in order to ensure the quality and safety of drug use. Their site includes useful information for citizens, medical specialists, and companies regarding medical laws, devices, and treatments.
The State Institute for Drug Control (SUKL) regulates the safe production of pharmaceuticals in the Czech Republic. SUKL is responsible for the surveillance of advertising and marketing medicines and medical devices. The site contains various databases that allow users to search for clinical trials, medicinal products, and pharmacies. Articles covering the results of recent clinical trials are also posted on the homepage.
The Danish Medicines Agency (DKMA) is responsible for the oversight and regulation of the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries within Denmark. The site contains information on licensing and supervision, product information, medical devices, pharmacies, and the sale of medicines. A library of publications about pharmaceutical research and development is also available.
The Agency of Medicines of Estonia is responsible for the oversight and regulation of the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries within Estonia. The site contains information on Estonia’s regulations, drug trials, and proper healthcare techniques.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) protects and promotes public health through the evaluation of medicines. The EMA provides recommendations on the quality and safety of medicines. They apply evaluation procedures to help bring new medicines to the European Union.
The Finnish Medicines Agency (Fimea) promotes the health and safety of the population by regulating medicinal, blood and tissue products, and by developing the pharmaceuticals sector. The site provides medicine databases, a directory of pharmacies, and veterinary information.
The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) is responsible for licensing and registering finished medicinal products as proof of safety and efficacy. BfArM monitors the risks of medicinal products by collecting and evaluating laboratory reports. The institute also evaluates and develops safe medical devices in Germany. The BfArM site contains information about the institute and its functions, medicinal products, and medical devices. Various research documents covering topics such as pharmacogenomics, pharmacoepidemiology, safety of medical devices, neuropsychopharmacology, special indications, and biostatistics are also available.
Greece's National Organization for Medicines (EOF) protects public health in relation to medicinal products, medical devices, supplements, and cosmetics. The EOF evaluates new safe and effective products, controls the production of medicines to meet the standards of good manufacturing, and promotes medical and pharmaceutical research. The site provides announcements for various products and laws. Only available in Greek.
Hong Kong’s Drug Office is responsible for the market surveillance of medicines, risk assessments, and complaints of drugs. Additionally, the office inspects the drugs, licenses manufacturers and retailers, and conducts research and development to improve drug standards. The site is designed to provide specific information for consumers, healthcare providers, and those interested in pharmaceutical trade, and the homepage offers sections specific to these audiences.
The National Institute of Pharmacy and Nutrition (OGYÉI) is a licensing and administrative authority for pharmaceutical products. The OGYÉI also evaluates medicines, issues licenses, and supervises medical testing. The site includes news as well as information regarding authorization, supervision, methodology, and drugs. Some information is only available in Hungarian.
The Icelandic Medicines Agency (IMA) is responsible for assessing the quality and safety of medicinal products in Iceland. They provide inspections to confirm that regulatory requirements are fulfilled. The IMA website serves as a source of information for health professionals and the public. The site includes information regarding licenses, inspections, and Medical devices. It also has a section covering the latest medical publications.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization in India sets standards and regulatory measures for medications. The organization provides guidance on health issues and medicines. They also regulate the standards of imported drugs and clinical research in India. Various regulatory documents and forms are available to download for free in PDF from the website.
The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) protects the public and animal health by regulating medicines, medical devices, and healthcare products. They also monitor the safety of cosmetics. The HPRA website includes product listings, descriptions of different medicines, current topics in medicine and legislation, as well as news and publications.
The Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) promotes good health through medicines by setting pharmaceutical policies and assuring their consistent application nationwide. AIFA promotes pharmaceutical research and development to further the safety and efficiency of drugs and medical devices. The site provides information on pricing and reimbursement, medical and scientific information, assessment and registration, and inspections and certifications.
The National Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS) conducts testing, research, and studies toward the proper evaluation of the quality, safety, and efficacy of pharmaceutical products, foods, and the numerous chemicals in the living environment. The site includes information on drugs, medical devices, food, and chemicals as well as general information on the NIHS.
The National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) is a research institute attached to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare for conducting fundamental and applied research on infectious diseases and setting testing standards for the development of antibiotics and vaccines. The NIID website contains information about the institute, as well as recent news articles and research being done.
The State Agency of Medicines of Latvia (SAMLV) implements local and international legislation to ensure that human medicines and medical devices are safe and efficient. SAMLV provides objective information on medicines while ensuring inspection, accreditation, and certification of drug manufacturers and distributors. The SAMLV site contains information about pharmaceutical legislation, services provided by the agency, and recent news posts related to the agency's activities.
The State Medicines Control Agency (SMCA) of Lithuania is responsible for the protection of public health through the evaluation and supervision of medicines for human use. The SMCA supervises manufacturing authorization holders, wholesale distributors, and pharmacies in Lithuania.
The National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) in Malaysia ensures the quality and safety of pharmaceutical products. The NPRA site contains information about the agency, press releases, a newsletter section, and a product search feature.
The Medicines Authority's mission is to protect public health in Malta by regulating medicinal products and pharmaceutical activities. The authority provides licensing, monitoring, and inspection services for pharmaceutical activities.
The Medicines Evaluation Board (MEB) assesses and guards the efficacy, safety, and quality of both human and veterinary medicinal products. The MEB is the primary source of information on new medicinal products, new applications, and current risk information in the Netherlands.
New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority (Medsafe) is accountable for the regulation of therapeutic products in New Zealand. Medsafe ensures that medicines meet acceptable standards of safety and quality. They also provide information about medicine to healthcare professionals, consumers, and industry professionals. Information is provided on medicines, devices, dietary supplements, safety, news and events, and publications.
New Zealand's Pharmaceutical Management Agency (PHARMAC) is responsible for the safe production of medicine and medical devices. PHARMAC provides information to citizens and healthcare professionals regarding drugs and devices. PHARMAC is also now responsible for the management of hospital pharmaceuticals
The Norwegian Medicines Agency (NoMA) is responsible for updating and safeguarding public and animal health by ensuring the efficacy, quality, and safety of medicines. NoMA is also responsible for medicine authorization, pricing, and classification. Furthermore, NoMA provides information on clinical trials, regulatory affairs, and pharmacovigilance.
The National Institute of Pharmacy and Medicines (Infarmed) is accountable to the Health Ministry of Portugal. Infarmed aims to monitor, assess, and regulate all activities relating to human medicines and health products to protect public health. The site provides detailed information regarding medicinal products, medical devices, cosmetics, licensing bodies, and market monitoring.
The National Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices (NAMMD) surveys the safety of medicinal products for human use in Romania. The NAMMD maintains a high level of performance and safety of medical devices in use by healthcare networks. The agency also ensures access to useful information on medicinal products for patients and healthcare professionals.
The Medicines and Medical Devices Agency of Serbia (ALIMS) issues market authorizations for medical products and equipment, evaluates their quality in compliance with laws and standards, and provides public information about the use of medicines and medical devices. The ALIMS website contains information about regulations, medical commodities, veterinary medicines, and pharmacovigilance. News and press releases are also available.
The State Institute for Drug Control (SIDC) is a part of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic and is responsible for ensuring the surveillance of the quality and safety of medicinal products. SIDC supervises pharmacies and controls advertisements of medicinal products.
The Ministry of Health is concerned with matters relating to healthcare and health insurance in Slovenia. The ministry monitors the nation's health programs and health measures to be taken in the event of natural disasters. It also protects the population against diseases and other health problems, especially pertaining to environmental harms like toxic water or waste.
South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) seeks to secure national health and safety of its citizens, mainly through its operations in the food and drug industries. This is done through the enhancement of risk management systems, tightened safety control, and reform on safety regulations. The site provides information on the ministry's projects, relative market news, and economic statistics.
The Spanish Agency for Medicine and Health Products (AEMPS) evaluates and authorizes medicines for human and veterinary use. AEMPS monitors the safety and efficacy of medicines, licenses and inspects pharmaceutical laboratories, and fights against illegal drugs and counterfeit health products. The website provides information about human medicines, veterinary medicines, medical devices, cosmetics and hygiene, and the medical industry.
China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) is responsible for drug administration, food safety, trademarks, and patents, as well as anti-monopoly policies. The website offers market data, information on government affairs, and services such as business registration and a small business directory. Recent news is also provided.
The Medical Products Agency (MPA) regulates and monitors the development of drugs and medicinal products. MPA's website contains information regarding herbal, homeopathic, and other types of medicinal products as well as medical devices. Recent news releases from the MPA regarding recalls or updates in the pharmaceutical industry are also posted on the site's homepage.
The Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products (Swissmedic) ensures that authorized therapeutic products are high quality, effective, and safe. Its goal is to protect the health of humans and animals and to safeguard Switzerland as a location for industry and research. Their site provides the latest news in the Swiss therapeutic industry and information on licensing, authorizations, market surveillance, and legal matters.
The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) represents research-based companies that create life-saving medicines for patients. ABPI researches and develops current medicines to ensure that the UK is at the forefront of helping patients prevent diseases. This site includes information on industry achievements as well as a future outlook on medicinal research.
The Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the government agency responsible for ensuring the proper use of medicine and medical devices. The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health.
NHS Prescription Services is a service that calculates how much pharmacists should be paid as reimbursement for medicines and medical devices dispensed to patients from NHS prescription forms. NHS Prescription Services provides information to prescribers and organizations, making available financial and drug information.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) protects public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, the nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. FDA is also responsible for advancing public health by helping to speed innovations that make medicines safer, more effective, and more affordable.