US, Mexico Announce Plan to Strengthen Regulatory Cooperation
US Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Mexico's Secretary of Health Salomón Chertorivski jointly announced the launch of a new program aimed at increasing regulatory cooperation at a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland on 22 May.
Sebelius and Chertorivski were at the 65th World Health Assembly, where both acknowledged their mutual goals in promoting public health.
"It is important to strengthen the programs of regulation and surveillance of medical products and health services on behalf of public health," Secretary Chertorivski said. "International collaboration and the development of new strategies will create a more effective process that protects against health risks."
"The trade links between our two countries, our common border, and the high degree of trade in food products speak to the need for close bilateral cooperation in health security for both of our nations," added Sebelius.
The two signed an agreement adopting a "shared set of technical guidelines that both countries will follow to respond to public health events and emergencies of mutual interest." The guidelines will reportedly address, among other areas, the exchange of healthcare product information between the two countries.
Read more:
Health and Human Services - United States and Mexico make efforts to strengthen US-Mexican bi-national healthFDA - Memorandum of Understanding [Editor's note: The agreement should be posted within a day or two]