One of the U.K.'s top regulators is inviting industry and the public to name the regulations they believe should be scrapped.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced March 9 that it will accept suggestions that can be delivered through its website for the next 5 weeks.
The agency says it believes that good regulations are necessary to protect the public, but some rules have become outdated and burdensome. The agency has divided the 250 regulations it enforces into 8 categories:
- Good Laboratory Practice (GLP);
- Medicines;
- Clinical trials;
- Fees;
- Traditional herbal medicines;
- Homeopathic medicines;
- Blood; and
- Pharmacy.
The MHRA will review the suggestions and pass its recommendations on to a "ministerial Star Chamber," according to a release. That chamber will review them "with the presumption that they will go unless they can be strongly justified." The agency estimates that whole process can be completed in three months.
"We are committed to removing excessive burdens and reducing bureaucracy where we can, whilst making sure that patient safety is never compromised," Health Minister Simon Burns said.
- read the MHRA release