ICPHSO - Seoul 2011 “There’s a new kid in town”

ICPHSO - Seoul 2011 America’s Consumer Safety and Health Network – CSHN

Three Americas: –Regional Diversity, –Different National Capacities Needs : Consumer safety is a social determinant of health. Effective protection of consumer health and safety is a challenge among different authorities: Industry, Consumer Protection and Health Authorities. Trade and consumption are global, therefore, it requires regional cooperation, efforts of integration, even global initiatives. There is a need to strengthen market surveillance capacity of the countries of the region

What we wanted: From April to August 2010: Meetings with consumer protection agencies, health agencies and associations of consumer protection to evaluate needs of the region from which they set: – the objectives, –features, –components and strategies of the CSHN

Commitment: To contribute: – a guarantee of safe consumption of goods and services and – the protection of consumer health in the Continent, by strengthening the capacity of the Member States for monitoring and controlling product safety

CSHN RAPEXCPSC-HC

November 23, 2010: Official launch of CSHN during the OAS Permanent Council meeting by Brazil and United States health and consumer protection authorities

The Americas’ Consumer Safety and Health Network - CSHN Based on two main principles: Development and homogeneity of administrative and regulatory actions in the Americas Unified inter-communication system to warn of hazardous products.

Steps taken so far: Creation of a Technical Advisory Group. Establishment of early warning site: –pool of warnings issued around the world to raise awareness and train. –Opportunity to exchange information and experiences Development of a postgraduate course of training for staff involved in network management Study the requirements and identify the characteristics of rapid communication system to respond to intra-state and international needs. –RAPEX model –Creating partnership with CARICOM to start pilot warning system with the Caribbean

Current and Future Steps: Roadmap Continue training. –The general course –The specific – specialization course. Develop a joint action agreement protocol Prepare manuals to be followed by all network components. Construct an injury data base Determine and implement the tool that will meet our needs - Expansion of Rapid Alert Interamerican System (SIARA) Cooperation and support of global initiatives OECD - USA - EU

Implementation schedule: Two levels: –National –Continental Various speeds, but they all follow the agreed roadmap according to: –Political agenda –Financial and personnel capacity –Speed of legislative change

If the market is global, the government action responsible for the safety of products must be global If the market is global, the government action responsible for the safety of products must be global Thank you Josep Tous