Africa has launched its first continent-wide medical regulator, marking a major step toward strengthening local pharmaceutical capacity and reducing reliance on foreign oversight. The initiative, the African Medicines Agency (AMA), aims to overcome Africa’s current fragmented drug approval process, where medicines approved in one African country often face delays in another.
By harmonizing standards, the agency will accelerate access to safe and effective treatments for millions. Currently, only nine of Africa’s 55 nations meet WHO regulatory standards, and just 3% of global clinical trials take place on the continent.
The AMA aims to change this reality by boosting local clinical research, ensuring that new drugs and vaccines are developed with African populations in mind.
