The opening ceremony of EXPO-RUSSIA VIETNAM 2019, the 3rd international industrial exhibition, and the 3rd Russia-Vietnam business forum took place in Hanoi on November 14, 2019. As an important part of the business agenda, the round table on the cooperation between Russia and Vietnam in the medicine and healthcare was held chaired by S. A. Tsyb, First Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, and Cheong Kuok Kyong, Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Health. Representatives of the Medsintez plant and other leading Russian pharmaceutical companies held discussions and presented their innovative achievements in the field of pharmaceutics, biotechnology and medical equipment.

During the round table, the parties agreed to discuss the possibility of mutual recognition of international GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certificates. Discussing the collaboration in pharmaceutics, S.A. Tsyb told that the PIC/S inspectorate meeting in Japan had made a decision to support Russia's pre-qualification application for joining the organization. Russia's joining PIC/S (the Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme) is an important event for the Russian pharmaceutical industry, since holding a GMP certificate issued by one of these countries helps reduce the period of product registration in the association's member countries. The key objective of PIC/S is to harmonize the entire inspection system of respective PIC/S member countries: to harmonize the requirements for production, quality control and regulatory authorities' efforts distribution by applying the procedure of mutual recognition of production premises inspection results.

"Vietnam will always create the most favourable conditions, be a reliable strategic partner and support Russian enterprises' activities in investing and doing business in Vietnam," said Chin DinhZung, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister.