Arusha, 1st October 2018 – The first licences for a veterinary vaccine submitted for registration under the East African Community’s Mutual Recognition Procedure (MRP) have been issued.
Obtaining approval to place veterinary medicines on the market requires a marketing authorisation (licence) from the National Regulatory Authority in each country where the product is to be sold. Until now, this involved applying for a licence separately in each country. The East African Community’s (EAC’s) MRP system overcomes this lengthy, resource-intensive and often unpredictable process.
Through a partnership between EAC, Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed) and HealthforAnimals, EAC has implemented an initiative to harmonise the registration requirements and application procedure for veterinary immunologicals across all EAC countries leading to mutual recognition. MRP allows applicants to apply simultaneously for licences in multiple countries. This saves time and allows countries and applicants to use their resources more efficiently. MRP increases the likelihood for the sustainable supply of quality-registered vaccines in the region.
David Balikowa, EAC’s Senior Livestock Officer in charge of implementing the project said “The process of developing the MRP system has been very helpful from a regional perspective allowing countries to learn from each other. We are looking forward to having more products registered through this innovative MRP regional system.”
Two other products are in the process of registration.
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For more information on MRP, visit https://www.eac.int/documents/category/livestock
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About East African Community
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of six Partner States: the Republics of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, the United Republic of Tanzania, and the Republic of Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
As one of the fastest growing regional economic blocs in the world, the EAC is widening and deepening co-operation among the Partner States in various key spheres for their mutual benefit. These spheres include political, economic and social.
For further press information on EAC, please contact: Owora Richard Othieno,
Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department, Tel: +255 784 835021
Email: OOthieno@eachq.org
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About GALVmed
GALVmed, through its partners, makes livestock vaccines, medicines and diagnostics accessible and available to the millions of smallholder livestock and poultry keepers in developing countries for whom livestock is a lifeline. The international not-for-profit company harnesses the best available expertise and capabilities to develop vaccines, medicines and diagnostics for neglected livestock diseases affecting smallholders in Africa and South Asia. GALVmed is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK Government. For more information, please visit www.galvmed.org
For further press information on GALVmed, please contact: Beatrice Ouma, Communications Manager, Tel: +254 772 157782, Email: Beatrice.ouma@galvmed.org
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About HealthforAnimals
HealthforAnimals is the global animal medicines industry association that represents the animal health sector: manufacturers of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and other animal health products throughout the world, as well as the associations that represent companies at national and regional levels
For further press information on HealthforAnimals, please contact: Alexander Rinkus, Communications Director, Tel: +32 2 543 7575 Email: alex@healthforanimals.org