By Stewart Eisenhart, Emergo Group

The governments of Australia and New Zealand no longer plan to form a joint regulatory authority to oversee both countries’ medical device markets.

According to a joint statement by the countries’ health ministers, the Australia New Zealand Therapeutic Goods Agency (ANZTPA) effort was halted following a “comprehensive review of progress and assessment of the costs and benefits to each country of proceeding.”

Instead, Australia and New Zealand will instead maintain the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority (MedSafe), respectively, to oversee their separate markets. 

Stewart Eisenhart covers medical device regulatory affairs for Emergo Group.