The Asian Harmonization Working Party (AHWP) recently released a new strategic framework to help its members develop harmonized and uniform regulatory structures for the Asian medical device market. The AHWP comprises both medical device manufacturers and regulatory authorities in the medical device industry. The group currently has industry participants from 23 countries around the world.

The AHWP has set five goals it hopes to see implemented across the markets of its members in the next decade. These goals include improved capacity building, higher membership, improved training regulations and improved harmonization of regulations for medical devices in its global and regional markets.

The AHWP alliance is also aiming for improved coordination with other industry groups like the APEC Regulatory Convergence for Medical Products. This will allow for improved regulatory convergence for members of APEC over the next 10 years. In addition, the AHWP also aims to improve coordination with the ASEAN Medical Device Directive (AMDD). By improving coordination with AMDD, AHWP and other groups would be able establish a unified regulatory community for the medical device industry in the next five years.

The AHWP also aims to expand its partnerships with other industry groups around the world. This will allow for improved patient safety standards, uniform technologies, and highly-efficient regulatory processes.

References

www.ahwp.info/sites/default/files/ahwp-files/8_Call_for_Comments/AHWP-WG...