The Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA) and the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA) have formalized a strategic partnership to enhance protection of intellectual property rights, particularly trademarks linked to medicines and medical devices.
This move addresses a critical gap in safeguarding product identity and quality within Tanzania’s healthcare sector.
The cooperation agreement, signed today by BRELA’s CEO Godfrey Nyaisa and TMDA’s Director General Dr. Adam Fimbo, sets a framework for joint efforts including information sharing on registered trademarks, coordinated inspections, capacity building, and public awareness campaigns.
The collaboration aims to streamline processes and reinforce enforcement in the overlapping regulatory domains of the two institutions.
BRELA’s registration of trademarks grants owners exclusive rights, a key mechanism to prevent unauthorized use.
However, Mr. Nyaisa highlighted that in the pharmaceutical context, this exclusivity requires careful management to avoid blocking legitimate use of generic drug names by other stakeholders.
The partnership seeks to balance protection with fair access to critical medical product identifiers.
“The current industrial and technological landscape demands inter-agency synergy,” Mr. Nyaisa noted. “Operating in silos is no longer viable if we are to boost innovation, improve service delivery, and effectively protect intellectual property tied to medicines and medical devices.”
Dr. Fimbo emphasized the complementary roles of BRELA and TMDA despite their distinct legal mandates.
Both bodies regulate trademarks and licenses, and this collaboration will enhance product traceability in the market, improve regulatory compliance, and curb circulation of unregistered or counterfeit medicines and devices.
“This agreement simplifies identification and protection of locally manufactured products, thereby supporting domestic producers and safeguarding public health,” Dr. Fimbo said.
This partnership marks a significant step toward strengthening Tanzania’s intellectual property regime within the healthcare sector, fostering an enabling environment for innovation and ensuring quality assurance for consumers.
It reflects broader government efforts to harmonize institutional roles and improve business and regulatory environments nationwide.