March 8-20, our board members Olena Holembiovska and Tetiana Lutsenko participated in the staff exchange program for the executors of the international project “Improving professional communication on biosecurity and biohazard management in medicine, pharmacy and biotechnology” (2024-25) within the framework of the European Union initiative EURIZON FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME: “Remote Research Grants for Ukrainian Researchers”. During the exchange program, visits were made to the following European partner institutions: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Riga Stradins University, Riga Eastern University Hospital, Urbino Carlo Bo University, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Italy and Institute of Molecular and Supramolecular Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lyon, France.
The staff exchange program had an extremely positive impact on the cooperation between Ukrainian scientists and European partners, significantly improving their knowledge, skills and research practice. Through this exchange, both parties benefited from a deeper understanding of biosafety protocols, advanced laboratory methods and advanced international experience in the field of biotechnology. The main objectives of the exchange were successfully achieved, contributing to better cooperation and integration between the organizations involved.
Visiting European scientific institutions was a valuable experience for a deeper understanding of safety approaches and regulatory requirements for healthcare products. During the visit, Ukrainian scientists had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with European standards for quality control of medicines, medical devices and biotechnological products.
They were particularly impressed by the Quality Management System (QMS), which is the basis for ensuring product compliance with international standards, in particular ISO 9001, ISO 13485 (for medical devices) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). The European institutions demonstrated effective methods for integrating risk management into the quality system, which allows for the prompt identification and elimination of potential threats to patient safety. An important conclusion from the exchange of experience was the realization of the need to implement more effective mechanisms for harmonizing national standards with European ones to ensure a high level of patient safety. Overall, the experience gained confirmed the importance of an integrated approach to quality and regulatory processes. The visit contributed to strengthening international cooperation and the exchange of best practices, which can become the basis for further improving national standards and increasing the level of safety in the healthcare sector
