The Essential Medicines and Health Products (EMP) Department at WHO released a draft of the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) version VI for comment by National Regulatory Authorities at the following link: http://www.who.int/medicines/regulation/benchmarking_tool/en/ .  The GBT is a means by which WHO evaluates medicine and vaccine regulatory systems through a comprehensive and systematic benchmarking process.

The revised draft GBT is the result of a collaborative effort between WHO headquarters and the WHO Regional Office for the Americas (PAHO/AMRO) with contributions from other Regional Offices and experts from national regulatory authorities. The tool builds on previous WHO NRA benchmarking tools and includes features of proven benefit such as computerization, categorization of indicators/sub-indicators and inclusion of fact sheets.

GBT draft version VI is open for comment until 28 February 2018. All comments should be sent to Dr Alireza Khadem, Scientist, Regulatory System Strengthening (RSS) team (khadembroojerdia@who.int) using the comments table available under the related links section. The draft tool is presented as consolidated indicators and fact sheets organized by regulatory function, together with a list of references and terminology used in the WHO GBT.