Title : Effectiveness of improved traditional medicines registration in Central Africa (cemac): The example of Cameroon
Abstract:
In the CEMAC region and in Cameroon in particular, despite multiple studies being conducted by academia, plant-based improved traditional medicines remain mostly unavailable in the formal pharmaceutical channel. This may be partially explained by the limited knowledge of the registration process for these medicines. Taking into consideration this challenge, we have set the objective to contribute to improving registration modalities of these medicines through the evaluation of the effectiveness of the registration process in Cameroon. As a result, we have conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study in Douala and Yaounde from May to July 2022 using interview guides and questionnaires to interview 4 employees of the Ministry of Health working on improved traditional medicines registration and twenty specialized developers based in Cameroon. The Regional Agency for Health (OCEAC) has also been interviewed. Based on the interviews, it appears that the registration process for improved traditional medicines is applied for a few well-known entities at the level of the MoH. However, the final approval is granted by the Minister of Health based on a report developed by the National Medicines Committee. Study results show that the registration process in Cameroon encounters several challenges, namely: administrative inertia (71%), a limited awareness and knowledge about the content of the registration dossier by developers (71%), and a lack of financial resources (29%). However, we observed that the registration process has been effective in Cameroon since 2010 with 10 traditional medicines registered. Of note, several of these products have been developed against COVID-19 and registered during the COVID pandemic. Based on these results, it seems critical to strengthen the registration process for traditional medicines in Cameroon to ensure a thorough assessment of their safety, efficacy, and quality in line with the national regulation.
