UK MHRA FORMS PANEL AND FORUM TO DISCUSS REGULATORY CHALLENGES

The UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has established a panel and a forum, jointly sponsored by the MHRA and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, to address future challenges in the regulation of pharmaceuticals.

The purpose of the forum is to assist in bringing about improvements to public health in the UK by ensuring that early-stage pharmaceutical research can utilize the latest technology available to deliver medicines that are needed by patients and physicians. The panel will identify suitable topics for the forum to discuss that have the potential to challenge the current regulation of pharmaceuticals in the UK. The panel will include industry, regulators and representatives of the clinical academic community.

The first meeting of the forum is planned for early 2007. Organizations and members of the public are invited to submit proposals for topics to be discussed. The deadline for submissions is Sept. 30.