Director of the EDQM, Council of Europe
Dr Petra Doerr has been the Director of the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM) since 1 October 2021.
As a pharmacist and PhD, Petra spent the first ten years of her professional career in the medical products industry, working in international regulatory affairs. Before joining Swissmedic, the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products, she held the position of Vice President Regulatory Affairs Europe, Africa and Asia at Valeant Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
She joined Swissmedic in October 2004 as Head of International Affairs. In July 2007, she was promoted to Head of Management Services & Networking and became a Member of the Management Board. In this capacity, she assumed responsibility for quality management systems, planning and controlling in addition to steering the national and international collaboration and communications activities. From January 2014 until June 2019, she then held the position of Head of Communication & Networking and Deputy Executive Director.
Amongst other responsibilities in external relations, she oversaw the international activities of Swissmedic with other agencies and international organisations. She was a member of the ICH Management Committee and the IPRP Management Committee as well of the Scientific Advisory Council of the Centre for Innovation in Regulatory Science, and represented Swissmedic at the Heads of Agencies Summits/ICMRA meetings and the DIA’s Council of Regulators. Between 2013 and 2016, she served as the Chair of the International Pharmaceutical Regulators Forum (IPRF; now IPRP). In November 2018, she was elected Vice-Chair of the ICH Assembly.
From July 2019 to October 2020, Petra was also Director and owner of Petra Doerr Consulting Ltd., providing consultancy services to WHO and other not-for profit organizations.
She joined WHO as Head of the Regulation and Safety Unit, Regulation and Prequalification (RPQ) Department of the Access to Medicines and Health Products (MHP) Division at the World Health Organization from November 2020 until August 2021.