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LOCAL Saturday 3 February 2018

Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA):

Regional System for Member States to Report

Substandard and Falsified Medicines

CARIBBEAN - The health of holders to report to the
the Caribbean people can CRS for regulatory analysis
be at risk if medicines are and action. Through this
not safe, effective and of system, CRS may share in-
good quality. Medicines formation about problem-
safety and monitoring sys- atic products with CARI-
tems are often limited in the COM states, pool data to
Region, and there has been identify signals, and make
a call for regional pooling recommendations to gov-
of resources, sharing of in- ernments about regulatory
formation, and coordina- actions.
tion of activities, that can The CRS is an initiative of
lead to stronger systems. CARICOM and is managed
as a regulatory unit by the
Recently, the Caribbean Caribbean Public Health
Regulatory System (CRS) Agency (CARPHA), in close
launched VigiCarib, a vol- partnership with the Pan
untary regional system for American Health Organiza-
CARICOM states to report tion/World Health Organi-
adverse drug reactions zation (PAHO/WHO).
(ADRs), suspected substan-
dard and falsified prod- For more information about
ucts.The program will help the CRS and VigiCarib visit
to protect patients and a signal to manufacturers tored for safety and quality. Health allows health pro- http://carpha.org/What-
bolster their confidence in and distributors that their VigiCarib, endorsed by fessionals, members of the We-Do/Laboratory-Servic-
health care, as well as send products are being moni- CARICOM Ministers of public, and other stake- es-and-Networks/CRSq