Comparative study of the harmonization of pharmaceutical regulations in the western and central sub-regions of Africa

The harmonization of pharmaceutical regulations in Africa aims to offer States a coherent body of texts and practices by combining limited resources. The objective of this study was to describe policies to harmonize pharmaceutical regulations in West and Central Africa in order to highlight similarities and disparities. The methodology used consisted of visiting the historical stages of the process in the two regions and comparing the preferred methodological approaches as well as the achievements obtained. It emerges from this work that if choices, guided by the health priorities of the regions in question, have led the actors to favor, depending on the sub-region, certain areas of pharmacy rather than others, in terms of harmonization, reality the aim pursued is the same namely the protection of public health by the availability of medicines safely and cheaply. It is hoped that cooperation not only between the two sub-regions but also with other pharmaceutical regulatory systems will optimize the processes initiated for better protection of public Health.