Speaking at the inauguration ceremony for the Hanoi Pharmaceutical Plant in the Quang Minh Industrial Zone, Health Minister Nguyen Quoc Trieu asked the plant to expand production of medicine that meets quality and safety standards for domestic consumption and export.

The plant, designed to conform to the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards of the World Health Organisation, was built over three years by the Hanoi Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (Hanoiphar) at a cost of more than VND30 billion.

It was also recognised by the Vietnam Pharmaceutical Management Department as meeting the standards set by GMP, Good Storage Practices (GSP) and Good Laboratory Practice.

Since 1996, all of the country’s pharmaceutical businesses have been asked to the requirements of the five principle regulatory bodies: GMP, GSP, GLP, Good Distribution Practice (GDP) and Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP), as of June 2008.