BPOM Obtains WHO Listed Authority Status, Here is the Strategy of the Pharmaceutical Industry

Jakarta - The Chief Executive of Biotis Pharmaceuticals Indonesia, FX Sudirman, has highlighted the significance of the Indonesian Drug and Food Supervisory Agency (BPOM) obtaining WHO Listed Authority (WLA) status, further affirming the quality of Indonesia’s pharmaceutical industry. This development strengthens the domestic pharmaceutical sector’s capacity to meet medicine requirements and achieve self-sufficiency, particularly in vaccine supply.

“With WLA status, we have a unique positioning. Indonesia is the only developing nation to have achieved this, and it can drive our market expansion,” explained FX Sudirman at the Health Forum held by CNBC Indonesia on Monday, 2 March 2026.

As a G20 member, Indonesia now has a golden opportunity to consolidate its position in the global vaccine industry, according to Sudirman. He affirmed that Biotis will continue to improve its systems and expand its market presence. “WLA can serve as a turning point to declare that our target market is not only to achieve national self-sufficiency but also to expand internationally,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, Director of Corporate Relations at PT Etana Biotechnologies Indonesia, Andreas Donny Prakasa, stated that WLA status can be leveraged to support increasingly advanced technology and facilitate collaboration with other nations for technology transfer. “Technology transfer is crucial. China represents the largest market—how can we capture the Chinese market? Through collaboration and potentially Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models,” he explained.

In the same forum, Biofarma’s Chief Executive, Shadiq Akasya, noted that WLA status will enhance public confidence in Indonesia’s pharmaceutical industry, including Biofarma. “The government can actively support Indonesian companies in entering other countries. WLA represents a rigorous screening process by BPOM. WLA is not something guaranteed, but it does expand our supply chain and opens broader opportunities,” he concluded.

The BPOM was formally designated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a WHO Listed Authority for medical products (vaccines) regulation. This recognition places BPOM on equal footing with leading regulatory authorities in developed nations worldwide, such as Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).