System aims to enhance standard

THE medicine marketing authorisation system (MMAS) will enhance the pharmaceutical product quality standard in Papua New Guinea, a pharmacist says.
Sesago Healthcare Ltd pharmacist Mellisah Agigo said the health department did not procure directly from the manufacturers hence it was important to have the system to verify the quality of the drugs it brought into the country.
Sesago is the first pharmaceutical distribution company in the country to be awarded the MMAS certificate.
“This gives us confidence that the products we are sourcing to sell are of good quality and made according to approved standards,” she said.
Agigo said people with no experience, capacity to store and understand the importance of quality were entering the pharmaceutical industry, which posed serious risks.
“The main idea of MMAS is to ensure the medicines brought into PNG are of good quality, safe and efficacious for patients.
“Therefore we applaud and thank the product registration team of the Pharmaceutical Services Standard Board (PSSB) and World Health Organisation for coming up with the system.”
Agigo said after the product registration guideline was launched in April last year, a training was conducted for the pharmaceutical suppliers by the PSSB.