Vietnam's health sector tightens control over GMP standardisation

According to the Ministry of Health, the new process for issuing and re-issuing Certificates of Food Safety Compliance – issued in late March – now includes the evaluation list. A notable feature is the involvement of leading experts in testing, chemistry, and microbiology from specialised medical institutions as part of the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) assessment team.

The new process will include experts in testing, chemistry, and microbiology from specialised medical institutions on the GMP assessment team.

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According to Dr. Chu Quoc Thinh, acting director of the Food Safety Authority under the Ministry of Health (MoH), the checklist includes nearly 170 specific criteria, divided into 10 general content groups such as quality management, personnel and training, factory and equipment, hygiene conditions, documentation, production, quality control, contract production and testing, complaints and product recalls, and self-inspection activities.

Health food manufacturing facilities must strictly adhere to GMP principles, from evaluating and controlling the quality of raw materials, monitoring the production process, testing finished products, to tracking product stability after market release.

According to the authority, the checklist will help businesses assess their compliance levels while providing common standards for assessment teams to apply consistently during GMP evaluations. It also serves as an effective tool for regulatory agencies in inspecting and monitoring food safety.

The process is based on the Food Safety Law, Decree 15 of 2018, and Circular 18 of 2019, which guide good manufacturing practices in the production and business of health supplements. It was developed over an extended period with input from specialised units, experts, and industry businesses.

The Food Safety Authority is now developing a plan and establishing assessment teams to implement the issuance and re-issuance of GMP certificates for manufacturing facilities.

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