Overview

The below provides and overview of the achievements of SEARN as well as its current workplan. Please click on the boxes to access the related strategies:

Current work plan

The work plans are adopted by the Assembly of the Members of SEARN. The latest 2025-2026 work plan was adopted during its meeting on 15-16 July 2025.

Action pointLead WGNeedActions
2N/AExperience sharing
  1. Active participation in the WGs
  2. Arrange a presentation from WG3 in WG6 on the SEARN strategies on vigilance, identify actions required for traditional medical products and means of implementation
81Improve the use and access to reference standards
  1. To continue the engagement with Pharmacopoeias in facilitating access to reference standards for NQCLs
  2. To conduct interviews with the identified reliable producers of reference standards along with other stakeholders if required
  3. To identify or develop risk-based approaches for prioritised tests through identifying minimum standards for screening strategies
  4. To support the implementation of the strategy to strengthen access to biological reference standards including the conduct of one or more workshops (as required) on the larger regional ecosystem and the development of a white paper.
91Strengthen collaboration between National Quality Control Laboratories to develop capacity
  1. Pilot exchange of pharmaceutical samples, collaborative testing and review pilot implementation.
  2. Pilot the SEARN training programme on Practical Training on Determination of Ethylene Glycol and Diethylene Glycol
  3. Continue the development of a proficiency / inter laboratory testing programme for EG/DEG
163Develop a regional mechanism to detect and review safety signals
  1. To develop a guidance to support SEARN members in identifying and managing safety signals
  2. To conduct a workshop to have in-depth discussion on the guidance and address any pending issue
  3. Address any emerging issue related to this strategy
185Facilitate reliance for medical devices, including IVDs
  1. Review the SEARN competency framework for medical devices and identify capacity building resources to support reliance
  2. Develop an information sharing mechanism to support reliance in connection with AP3 Information Sharing and AP21 RIMS
  3. Discuss and develop a proposition, as needed, to pilot convergence workshops for medical devices (including in vitro diagnostics) in connection with AP5 reliance.
  4. Develop a programme of presentations to WG5 from reference organizations on their regulatory systems and how to use their generated information for reliance
192Strengthen the capacity of SEARN Members to address antimicrobial resistance
  1. Continue the engagement with identified forums and stakeholders
  2. Finalise the development of a policy paper on the effective implementation of rules/policies decided by each country for AMR and its dissemination in adequate forum(s)
  3. Conduct a workshop on strengthening strategies for collecting antimicrobial consumption information
  4. Finalize the development of model product information and inspection check list to support NRAs
214Strengthen Regulatory Information Management Systems to support information sharing
  1. Conduct a feasibility study of developing a network of interoperable RIMS for Marketing authorizations
  2. Pilot the tailoring of a competency framework to strengthen SEARN NRA staff IT literacy and identification of training resources
  3. Explore the possibility to pilot the development of a common digital public health goods from an existing or planned RIMS.
226Capacity building for traditional medical products
  1. Continue the development of the regional competency framework for the regulation of traditional medical products
  2. Pilot the establishment of RCOE(s) in priority domain(s)
  3. Support the identification or the development of training programmes to address the priority areas
  4. Continue the engagement with the WHO International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines (IRCH)
236Convergence of the regulation of traditional medical products
  1. Pilot a convergence approach to one or selected prioritized area(s) based on an in-depth analysis of the regulatory mapping survey
  2. Continue the engagement with the WHO International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines (IRCH)
242To support SEARN Members in building capacity and collaboration on clinical trials
  1. To conduct a survey among SEARN Members to collect information about the current capacity and legal/regulatory requirements
  2. Propose recommendations to SEARN Members to strengthen capacity and collaboration
  3. Identify and initiate the establishment of an RCOE for clinical trials oversight
254Strengthen Market control and surveillance through collaboration and capacity building
  1. Develop a database of information from SEARN Members to support Market control and surveillance
  2. Propose a system for regional collaboration on issues related to market control and surveillance
  3. Identify and initiate the establishment of an RCOE for Market control and surveillance and prioritize training needs