Anvisa takes part in discussions to strengthen regulatory systems in the Americas

Regional National Regulatory Reference Authorities (NRAr) meeting.

The Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (Anvisa) is participating in the Regional National Regulatory Reference Authorities (NRAr) meeting, in Buenos Aires, Wednesday (June 24). The event brings together key regulatory authorities from the Americas to discuss strategies for strengthening the region's regulatory systems and expanding international cooperation. During the event, Anvisa also held important bilateral meetings to exchange experience with other countries and discuss joint response capabilities regarding the continent's health challenges.

Some of the topics debated during the event dealt with technical cooperation and regional capacity-building initiatives, as well as mechanisms for convergence and innovation, alongside updates to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) regional policy for strengthening regulatory systems.

Anvisa, represented by its CEO Leandro Safatle, presented its key technical cooperation activities in the Americas, highlighting the participation of the Agency in international regulatory forums. Safatle shared the progress obtained on the Agency's bid for its recognition as a "WHO Listed Authority" (WLA). For a national regulatory agency, to be included on this list means it has been evaluated by the World Health Organization (WHO) standards and therefore is considered a robust, mature, and reliable agency for the regulation of medicines and vaccines.

Bilateral meetings and partnerships

During the event, Anvisa also took part in bilateral meetings with regulatory agencies from the United States (FDA), Mexico (Cofepris), Argentina (Anmat), and Colombia (Invima) to exchange experiences and discuss strategies for a joint response capacity.

The Agency also signed a significant memorandum of understanding with Colombia’s regulatory authority. This agreement will enable the exchange of confidential information and support reliance initiatives, a mechanism whereby a country's regulatory authority uses the assessment of another trusted authority as a basis for its own decision-making.

Another important step for integration and cooperation, Argentina’s health regulatory authority, the National Administration of Medicines, Food and Medical Technology (Anmat), formally joined the Rio de Janeiro Declaration. This declaration represents a commitment to the convergence of regulatory processes across Latin America.

The Regional National Regulatory Reference Authorities (NRAr) meeting is organized by PAHO and involves regulatory agencies from Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Argentina, the United States, Brazil, Canada, and Cuba. The regulatory agencies from Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay, Panama, Uruguay, and El Salvador also participate as ob