WILLEMSTAD – Since December 2023, the registration of new pharmaceutical drugs on Curaçao has come to a standstill due to the inactivity of the island’s independent drug registration committee. The regulatory gap has raised serious concerns among health professionals, importers, and patients alike. 

According to Joram Parabirsing, Inspector of Medicines, no one has been officially appointed to assess registration files, leaving applications and modification requests in limbo. As a result, pharmaceutical manufacturers and importers are left in uncertainty, unable to bring new medications to market. 

Although new legislation was introduced in 2024 aimed at simplifying the drug approval process, its implementation has proven ineffective without an active registration committee. In the meantime, the Inspectorate has implemented temporary measures to keep existing medications available, but no new drugs or formal changes can be approved under current conditions. 

The Pharmaceutical Importers Association (Vereniging van Importeurs van Farmaceutische Producten – VIPP) has issued a warning, citing significant risks to patient health and the potential for supply disruptions in the near future. 

Parabirsing is urging the Curaçao government to intervene swiftly. “The failure to appoint new members to the registration committee is jeopardizing public health and undermining the entire regulatory system,” he said. 

Stakeholders across the healthcare sector are calling for immediate action to restore the integrity and functionality of Curaçao’s pharmaceutical oversight.