The Guangdong Provincial Food and Drug Administration recently hosted the first Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Drug Supervision Collaboration Conference in Zhuhai. The conference, held under the guidance of the State Food and Drug Administration, marked an important milestone in the collaboration between the drug regulatory authorities of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao.
The conference was attended by key representatives, including Zhao Junning, member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the State Food and Drug Administration, Lu Chongmao, Director of the Medical and Health Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Lam Wenjian, Director of the Department of Health of the Administrative Region Government, and Cai Bingxiang, Director of the Drug Supervision and Administration Bureau of the Macau Special Administrative Region Government. The meeting was chaired by Changjiang Xiaodong, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of the Guangdong Provincial Drug Administration.
During the conference, the State Food and Drug Administration and the drug regulatory authorities of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao reviewed the progress made in drug and medical device supervision in the Greater Bay Area over the past three years. They also exchanged the latest developments in drug supervision in the mainland, Hong Kong, and Macao. Two important documents, the “Guidelines for Notifying Drug and Medical Device Supervision Risk Information in the Greater Bay Area” and the “Work Plan for the Construction of Traditional Chinese Medicine Standards in the Greater Bay Area,” were adopted during the meeting. These documents aim to establish a face-to-face collaboration on drug supervision in the Greater Bay Area and facilitate future meetings and mechanisms.
Moving forward, the drug regulatory authorities of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao will work together to plan key tasks for the next stage of drug and medical device supervision in the Greater Bay Area. The State Food and Drug Administration expressed its full support for the development of the pharmaceutical and medical device industry in the region, emphasizing the importance of strengthening cooperation and ensuring the safety and quality of pharmaceutical and medical products and services for residents in the Greater Bay Area.
In addition, representatives from Hong Kong and Macao shared their respective plans and measures to enhance drug regulatory capabilities and improve their drug approval mechanisms. Hong Kong announced new measures to develop a medical innovation hub, including the establishment of a regulatory center and a mechanism for first-level drug and device approval. Macau highlighted its efforts to promote the innovative development of the pharmaceutical industry and contribute to the socio-economic development of the Greater Bay Area.
The Guangdong Provincial Food and Drug Administration reaffirmed its commitment to promoting the innovative development of drug and medical device supervision in the Greater Bay Area. They will focus on establishing and improving the drug supervision coordination mechanism among Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao and continue to streamline registration and approval processes for Chinese medicines.
Overall, the conference provided a platform for collaboration and exchange between the drug regulatory authorities of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao. With the support of the State Food and Drug Administration, these authorities will continue working together to ensure the high-quality development of the pharmaceutical and medical device industry in the Greater Bay Area and improve public health services in the region.