Professor Dr. Tamer Essam, Chairman of the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA), chaired the second hearing session dedicated to discussing the mechanisms for the development of the Egyptian Pharmacopoeia. The meeting was held at the Authority's headquarters in Agouza.
Dr. Ayman El-Khatib, Vice President of the Egyptian Drug Authority and Chairman of the Permanent Committee for the Drafting of the Egyptian Pharmacopoeia, stated that a comparative review of leading international pharmacopoeias had been presented during the meeting. The review covered the British Pharmacopoeia (BP), the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), and the International Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Int.) issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). He further noted that the Committee had previously held discussions with officials from the World Health Organization to assess the current status of the project and to benefit from the Organization's expertise in this field.
Dr. El-Khatib added that the Committee was examining mechanisms for structuring and organizing the Egyptian Pharmacopoeia in a manner that would facilitate its use by pharmacists and technical professionals working within the pharmaceutical sector. Such an approach would ultimately benefit Egyptian patients and contribute to enhancing the reputation and quality of pharmaceutical products circulating in the Arab Republic of Egypt.
The meeting also addressed the proposal to digitize the activities of the Committee and to maximize the utilization of digital tools. This initiative aims to enable the electronic review, evaluation, and completion of the work undertaken by the teams responsible for developing the Egyptian Pharmacopoeia, while also reducing timelines and accelerating the issuance process through the effective use of digital technologies.
Participants further emphasized the importance of providing an electronic version of the Egyptian Pharmacopoeia upon completion, in line with international trends and with the objective of maximizing the benefits derived by pharmaceutical professionals from this scientific and regulatory reference governing medicinal products and pharmaceutical preparations.
In addition, a summary was presented regarding the meeting held with representatives of the World Health Organization Country Office in Cairo concerning potential areas of cooperation and opportunities to leverage the Organization's expertise in the development of the Egyptian Pharmacopoeia. During those discussions, WHO representatives indicated that they would consult with the officials responsible for the International Pharmacopoeia and provide responses to the Authority's inquiries in due course. The parties also explored the possibility of establishing a shared work plan to support the development process.