The decision to establish an African Medicines Agency is hailed as a turning point in efforts to advance regulatory oversight but also draws calls for caution. John Zarocostas reports.

The African Medicines Agency (AMA) is a proposed specialised agency of the African Union (AU) intended to facilitate the harmonisation of medical regulation throughout the African Union. Following a similar model to that of the European Medicines Agency, it is intended to have a wide scope covering medicines, traditional medicine, and medical devices.