Kazakhstan has been approved for an on-site assessment mission and an observed inspection in 2027 as part of its application for membership of the Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme (PIC/S). The decision was made at a PIC/S meeting in Istanbul on 2–3 November 2026, attended by inspectors from the National Centre for Expertise of Medicines and Medical Devices under the Ministry of Healthcare of Kazakhstan.

The on-site mission will be the next stage in the assessment of Kazakhstan’s pharmaceutical inspectorate. PIC/S experts are expected to examine how the national inspectorate operates in practice, including observing an inspection conducted by the inspectorate. Approval of the mission does not mean that Kazakhstan has been admitted to PIC/S; the application process remains ongoing.

Application and preparatory work

Kazakhstan submitted its application to join PIC/S in March 2025. In November 2025, the PIC/S Committee confirmed that the application was complete and appointed a Rapporteur and a Co-Rapporteur to oversee the assessment.

Since then, the country has continued preparing its pharmaceutical inspectorate for the assessment. According to the Ministry of Healthcare, inspectors have received training in Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Good Distribution Practice (GDP), and a joint training audit was conducted with the World Health Organization (WHO).

The ministry also reported that the inspectorate’s internal procedures had been updated and amendments had been made to national regulations to bring them into line with PIC/S requirements. These changes included provisions governing unscheduled inspections.

Next stage of the PIC/S assessment

The planned 2027 mission will allow the assessment team to evaluate the implementation of the inspectorate’s procedures and the practical conduct of GMP inspections. Its findings will inform the further consideration of Kazakhstan’s application.

The Ministry of Healthcare has not announced a date for Kazakhstan’s possible accession. The country’s admission to PIC/S will depend on the outcome of the assessment and the subsequent decision under the Scheme’s accession procedure.