Longtime director general of Estonian State Agency of Medicines to step down

TALLINN - Kristin Raudsepp, who has worked as director general of the Estonian State Agency of Medicines for over 20 years, has not put forward her candidacy for the next term of office and will start work in the private sector from September.

Raudsepp, who holds a degree in medical science, is an expert on medicines regulations and under her leadership the State Agency of Medicines has successfully participated in a number of international networks. Raudsepp has been Estonia's representative in the management board of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and a member of the European Commission's Pharmaceutical Committee and the International Association of Professional Congress Organizers (IAPCO), expert for the World Health Organization and co-chair of the task force of the availability of authorized medicines at the Heads of Medicines Agencies network.

Estonian Minister of Health and Labor Tanel Kiik said that Raudsepp has served the Estonian state and nation for a long time and taken the state to among the best in Europe in terms of pharmacovigilance.

"Kristin has built up a strong organization, which has clearly proven itself both in the current crisis as well as before that. I want to thank her for her important contribution to protecting the health of Estonian people and wish her success in the private sector," Kiik said.

Raudsepp thanked her colleagues and partners for longtime good cooperation.

"Pharmacovigilance is team work -- both domestically as well as internationally. The coronavirus crisis has underlined the importance of medicines and vaccines even more for all of us. I am pleased that there are top experts in the State Agency of Medicines who are doing their work professionally and from the heart," Raudsepp said, adding that she wishes success to the next head of the State Agency of Medicines.

The Government Office will announce a competition for filling the position of director general of the State Agency of Medicines in the near future. Until the new chief official is found, the agency's deputy director general Katrin Kiisk will perform the director general's duties.