Hosted by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), the BRICS Drug Regulatory Authorities Meeting was held via video link on Dec 14, 2022. Representatives from drug regulatory agencies of the BRICS countries, including Russia's Ministry of Health, Ministry of Industry and Trade and Roszdravnadzor, Brazil's ANVISA and South Africa's SAHPRA, participated in the meeting and held discussions on the innovation of drug regulation, regulatory inspections and international cooperation. NMPA Deputy Commissioner Zhao Junning attended and addressed the event.

Zhao made a keynote speech titled International Coordination and Cooperation in China's Drug Regulation in the Context of COVID-19, introducing the achievements China has made in the internationalization of bilateral and multilateral drug regulation, as well as the regulation in traditional medicine. He also proposed three initiatives — promoting the implementation of the MOU among BRICS Drug Regulatory Authorities on Cooperation in the Field of Regulation of Medical Products for Human Use, deepening bilateral and multilateral coordination and cooperation, and advancing collaboration in traditional medicines.

Aisylu Kamaletdinova, deputy director of the Department for Regulation of the Circulation of Medicines and Medical Devices of Russia's Ministry of Health, delivered a keynote speech on the regulation of the circulation of COVID-19 medicines in the Russian Federation. Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela, head of South Africa's SAHPRA, shared South Africa's efforts in international cooperation amid the fight against COVID-19.  

Yu Huan, Deputy Director General of the NMPA's Department of Drug Registration, Li Maozhong, Deputy Director General of the NMPA's Department of Drug Regulation, Aisylu Kamaletdinova from Russia's Ministry of Health, Dmitry Bolotov from Russia's Ministry of Industry and Trade, and Laila Sofia Mouawad from Brazil's ANVISA shared their thoughts on drug regulation promoting innovation and regulatory inspection. BRICS countries held exchanges and discussions at the end of the meeting.

Representatives of BRICS countries thanked the NMPA for hosting the meeting, and highly praised China's unremitting efforts in advancing the relevant work as the host in 2022. Adhering to the BRICS spirit of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, all parties will continue to deepen substantive cooperation in the field of international organization affairs and international rule-making, promote a higher level of openness, and contribute to the health of the people of BRICS countries.