Works of the First International Days of Generics and Biosimilars began Friday in Tunis. The two-day event, held for the first time in Tunisia on the initiative of the Tunisian Association of Generic Medicines (French: ATMG), bring together physicians, pharmacists, various health professionals and teachers in the faculties of medicine and pharmacy. This in addition to representatives of trade unions , acdemic societies, public institutions as well as national and international pharamceutical firmsques. Health Minister Ali Mrabet said generics and biosimilars are a key pilar in the therapeutic arsenal and encouraged their use within statutory and administrative limits. The event will help foster the use of generics and biosimilars which will contribute to generating gains for public health and health economics. The use of generics and biosimilars fits within the national pharmaceutical strategy to secure the availability of medicines, mainly for people witjh chronic conditions. The COVID-19 crisis u nveiled the need to promote local production of medicines to ensure their availability, the minister added. As part of the national pharmaceutical strategy, Ali Mrabet said, a national medicines agency was established recently; its implementing legislation is in the pipeline. "The deadline to grant marketing authorisatinos will be minimised to one year so as to promote the production of medications in Tunisia, he further said. ATMG President Kamel Idir said the generics policy is a main challenge in the evolution of healthcare systems. Idir said generics and biosimilars offer the same therapeutic benefits and safety gurantees as the originator drugs but at lower costs. Idir said lecturers from Africa, Arab countries, Europe and Asia will run debates on such topics as the state of affairs of the relevant legislation, requirements from raw materials to finished products, teaching using International Nonproprietary Names , AI and cooperation towards integration in Africa. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Pres se