Morocco’s drug regulator fails WHO test, loses key ranking: Here’s why
Morocco’s medicines regulator has lost a key international standing after failing to meet World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.
The Moroccan Network for the Defence of the Right to Health and the Right to Life said a WHO audit released on December 12 found that the Moroccan Agency for Medicines and Health Products did not reach “Maturity Level 3,” a benchmark that signals a regulator is reliable enough to oversee medicines and vaccines to international standards.
Losing the ranking means Morocco has fallen out of the group of reference countries recognised by the WHO, a setback the network described as a blow to national health security and vaccine sovereignty.
According to the network, the audit revealed weaknesses in governance, independence and regulatory performance. Morocco’s legal and regulatory index reportedly dropped to just one out of five, raising concerns about oversight and accountability within the agency.
The group also blamed the decline on what it called a flawed pharmaceutical policy, pointing to powerful industry lobbies, weak competition enforcement and drug prices that in some cases are more than ten times higher than in countries of origin or in Europe.
Another major concern raised was a “brain drain” from the sector, with more than 200 scientific and technical professionals said to have left due to poor working conditions and lack of job stability. The network warned that replacing experienced staff with short-term contracts has undermined institutional capacity.
While several African countries have achieved WHO Maturity Level 3 status in recent years, Morocco’s downgrade risks limiting its ability to market medicines and vaccines regionally and internationally, potentially deterring investment.
The network has called for an investigation into the causes of the downgrade, reforms to strengthen the regulator’s independence, tighter controls on drug pricing, and stronger action by the Competition Council to curb monopolistic practices in the pharmaceutical market.
It also urged the government to introduce incentives to retain scientific talent and restore confidence in Morocco’s drug regulatory system.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
