Mission

Develop and strengthen Pharmacovigilance through regulatory harmonization activities and proposals that promote the safety and rational use of drugs as a necessary component of public health policies in the Americas.

Objectives

1. Promote development and circulation of the knowledge, criteria, and methods used in Pharmacovigilance, which should be used in training and educational activities for all actors related to medicines;

2. Analyze and promote development of harmonization tools to support Pharmacovigilance in the Region;

3. Develop and promote a network that permits exchange of knowledge, communication, and support for decision-making related to Pharmacovigilance;

4. Promote integration of Pharmacovigilance as an essential component of medical programs and public health policies;

5. Promote research on Pharmacovigilance and its circulation, as well as analysis of the impact of Pharmacovigilance on public health, emphasizing patient safety.

Members of the Working Group on Pharmacovigilance

Main Members

• MERCOSUR: Cristina Alonso, Uruguay.
• ANDEAN COMMUNITY: Angela Acosta (Coordinator).
• SICA: Indira Credidío, Panama.
• CARICOM: Maryam Hinds, Barbados.
• NAFTA: Carmen Becerril, Mexico.
• ALIFAR: Juan Arriola Colmenares, Peru.
• FIFARMA: Ronoldy Valencia, USA.
• Designated by PAHO: Julián Pérez Peña, Cuba.

Alternate Members

• MERCOSUR: Giselle Silva Calado, Brazil.
• ANDEAN COMMUNITY: Silvia Alvarez, Peru.
• SICA: Elder Saenz, Guatemala.
• CARICOM: Noami Jessrun, Suriname.
• NAFTA: Heather Sutcliffe, Canada.
• FIFARMA: Daniel Ciriano, Argentina  

Secretariat (PAHO/WHO)

• José Luis Castro, Washington, DC.  

Documents:

 Red PARF Technical Document No. 5. Good Pharmacovigilance Practices for the Americas. December, 2010 (3.27 MB) (the English version will be published soon) 

Recommendations:

Preliminary Report of the V Pan American Conference on Drug Regulatory Harmonization, Buenos Aires (1.27 MB)