Back to: Introduction to FDA’s Office of Trade and Global Partnerships
🔔 Note: Stop playback at 10:14 to complete this lesson.
Presenter
Joseph Rieras
Director
Office of Trade and Global Partnerships (OTGP)
Office of Global Policy and Strategy (OGPS)
Office of the Commissioner (OC)
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Abstract
This presentation introduces the FDA’s Office of Trade and Global Partnerships (OTGP), led by Joseph Rieras, which is situated within the Office of Policy, Legislation, and International Affairs. OTGP serves as the FDA lead for international trade issues concerning regulated products, including pharmaceuticals, and negotiates Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) related to drug manufacturing practices. The office also establishes international arrangements for information sharing with global counterparts and addresses cross-cutting issues in multilateral organizations like the World Health Organization. OTGP’s work aims to strengthen partnerships and information exchange to enhance regulatory oversight of medical product supply chains and to address unnecessary trade barriers, ultimately improving patient access to essential products. Examples of their efforts include managing MRAs with the European Union, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom to avoid duplicative inspections, and actively participating in major international negotiations such as the UN Plastic Pollution Treaty and amendments to the WHO International Health Regulations, ensuring FDA’s regulatory interests are considered.