The NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health’s Global Health Office (GHO) was delighted to co-host an evening with Prof. Taruna Ikrar, Chairperson of Indonesia’s Food and Drug Authority (BPOM RI), and the Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore (PSS) for a public lecture on Indonesia’s regulatory journey and its implications for the region.
Three takeaways from Indonesia’s path to WHO Listed Authority (WLA) status:
- Strengthened regulatory credibility and new opportunities for reliance. As the first developing country to achieve WLA status, Indonesia has unlocked potential for BPOM to serve as a regulatory reference authority — creating opportunities for other countries to apply reliance on BPOM’s decisions, and ultimately improving equitable access to high-quality medicines for all.
- Regulatory rigour as a market enabler and economic driver. WLA status strengthens confidence in BPOM-approved products, expands market access for Indonesia’s domestic pharmaceutical industry, and contributes to broader economic growth.
- Knowledge contributor for strengthened regional health security. As one of only two WLA-designated authorities in ASEAN, BPOM is well-positioned to support ASEAN neighbours through bilateral cooperation, regulatory harmonisation, joint assessments, and mutual learning — strengthening regional health security within ASEAN and beyond.
Our panel with Michelle Cheng, Chairperson of the Industry Chapter, PSS, brought a sharp industry perspective: industry seeks regulatory certainty when making registration decisions in a given market. WLA status elevates that certainty and creates new commercial and collaborative opportunities.
We are deeply grateful to Prof Taruna and Michelle for their contribution, and to Prof Alex Cook for his moderation of the evening. We look forward to continued dialogue between regulators, the pharmacy profession, and academia in advancing health equity across our region.
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