The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) announced its 2020 ISPE Europe Annual Conference, taking place virtually 15–16 September 2020, will feature a diverse mix of global health authorities providing insights COVID-19. Twenty regulatory experts representing ten countries will share perspectives and lessons learned on the pandemic impacting drug shortages, distant assessments, and good manufacturing practices (GMP) reliance.

“The pandemic has taught the world to rely on their own resources and in this respect, the concept of globalization has become obsolete,” said featured speaker Vladislav Shestakov, Director, Deputy Head of Russian State GMP Inspectorate, State Institute of Drugs and Good Practices. “Disruptions of logistical supply chains, trade speculations and bidding wars over PPE, a global scramble with states competing with each other to secure the vaccine – that hasn’t yet been manufactured – in order to safeguard their citizens by ensuring they are the first in line for a vaccination. All this prompts us to draw lessons and develop frameworks for building and maintaining stockpiles. At the same time, such associations and alliances as ISPE, with global initiatives affecting the entire international community, have potential to become mediators in the post-quarantine (the post – COVID) period and, as such, would ensure that there is a balance between the interests of different countries and companies, coordinate and build an effective collaboration between pharmaceutical manufacturers and regulators.”

Featured Global Health Authorities:

Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Products (AEMPS)

Italian Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (AIFA)

Agence Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament et des Produits de Santé (ANSM)

European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM)

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

State Institute of Drugs and Good Practices (FSI SID&GP)

Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)

Pharmaceutical Inspection Convention and Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme (PIC/S)

Swissmedic

World Health Organization (WHO)

European Medicines Agency (EMA)

GXP Institute, Moscow

Irish Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA)

The 2020 ISPE Europe Annual Conference has been reimagined into a virtual experience that will immerse attendees in crucial conversations on industry response and issues associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and other industry-critical topics.

About ISPE

The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) is the world’s largest not-for-profit association serving its members through leading scientific, technical, and regulatory advancement across the entire pharmaceutical lifecycle. The 18,000 members of ISPE are building solutions in the development and manufacture of safe, effective pharmaceutical and biologic medicines, and medical delivery devices in more than 90 countries around the world. Founded in 1980, ISPE has its worldwide headquarters and training center in North Bethesda, Maryland USA, and its operations center in Tampa, Florida USA.