It is expected that the new status will speed up access for patients in Kazakhstan to modern drugs, increase regulatory transparency and create more favorable conditions for innovation. Kazakhstan became the first Central Asian state to receive WHO recognition for regulating medicines and vaccines Healthcare
Kazakhstan has achieved an important milestone in the healthcare sector by becoming the first Central Asian country to achieve the so-called World Health Organization (WHO) maturity level three (ML3) in the regulation of medicines and imported vaccines.
This status confirms that the national regulatory system meets international standards and is capable of providing high control over the quality, safety and effectiveness of medical products.
According to WHO Assistant Director-General Yukiko Nakadani, this achievement demonstrates Kazakhstan’s “political commitment” to building a strong healthcare system and ensuring public access to safe and quality medicines. She emphasized that developing regulatory capacity for drugs and imported vaccines strengthens the country’s preparedness for crises and strengthens global security.
In Kazakhstan, the regulatory function is carried out by the Ministry of Health through the Committee for Medical and Pharmaceutical Control and the National Center for Expertise of Medicines and Medical Devices. These structures are responsible for the full cycle of control – from registration to safety monitoring.
WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge called Kazakhstan’s achievement “a big step forward.” According to him, for the country’s nearly 20 million residents, this means greater confidence in the quality of medicines and vaccines, and for the region, a strengthening of the overall healthcare security system.
The new status is expected to expand patient access in Kazakhstan to modern drugs, increase regulatory transparency and create more favorable conditions for innovation. Kazakhstan, according to WHO, is becoming an important fulcrum for the development of regulatory systems in Central Asia.