COVID-19

Between 2020 and 2023, the COVID-19 pandemic was a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), as declared by the World Health Organization (WHO). During that period, ICMRA acted as a forum to support strategic coordination and international cooperation among global medicine regulatory authorities.

The aim of the activities was to expedite and streamline the development, authorisation and availability of COVID-19 treatments and vaccines worldwide and to cooperate on the assessment of their safety. ICMRA members also worked towards increasing the efficiency of regulatory processes and decision making.

The WHO declared in May 2023 that COVID-19 no longer constituted a public health emergency of international concern. Instead, it was deemed an established and ongoing health issue which remains a global health threat. ICMRA is fully committed to coordinating a global response to future challenges and to ensure that new or adapted vaccines and therapeutics can be made available as needed and that their safety is ensured.

ICMRA achievements during the COVID-19 pandemic

ICMRA pledges and statements related to COVID-19

* Available in multiple languages

COVID-19 meetings and workshops

During the pandemic, ICMRA members held a series of initially bi-weekly and later monthly strategic meetings (COVID-19 Policy Teleconferences) to discuss international alignment on COVID-19 policies. 
These also focused on:

• pragmatic approaches to COVID-19 response
• regulatory flexibility in the context of the medical emergency
• extraordinary measures applied to address common challenges during the pandemic
• regulatory considerations related to COVID-19 clinical trial management
• prevention/mitigation of supply issues.

Between 2020 and 2023, ICMRA also held international regulatory workshops on important topics to allow for in-depth discussions and to agree on common approaches. In addition to delegates representing more than 30 medicines regulatory authorities globally, participants include experts from the World Health Organization and the European Commission.

Calendar of meetings and workshops