Law on Medical Examination & Treatment in force
Replaces the 2009 law; introduces a 5-year CCHN KCB validity, a CME mandate, and establishes the Hội đồng Y khoa Quốc gia (National Medical Council) as the body that will run the future licensing exam.
Regulatory calendar
A chronological view of recent and upcoming Vietnamese regulatory milestones across pharma, cosmetic, food and medical practice. Each milestone shows the governing document, affected product kinds and a link to a Medibase deep-dive article when one exists.
Replaces the 2009 law; introduces a 5-year CCHN KCB validity, a CME mandate, and establishes the Hội đồng Y khoa Quốc gia (National Medical Council) as the body that will run the future licensing exam.
National Assembly passes the Pharmacy Law amendment (amends Luật Dược 105/2016); takes effect 1 July 2025.
Cấp ban đầu / cấp cơ bản / cấp chuyên sâu replaces the legacy four-tier scheme; reshapes referral pathways and BHYT entitlement.
Automatic-extension safety net for in-flight renewals, explicit reference-dossier pathway for SRA-approved products, 3-month renewal window (down from 12), dedicated innovative-drug pathway.
Implements Law 44/2024: special-control drug classification, storage / production / distribution rules, FIE notification regime (Art. 91 §12).
Operational circular for Luật Dược Chapter IV — dossier modules, timelines, expert-council process.
Replaces Circular 35/2018/TT-BYT with an updated GMP framework aligned to PIC/S developments.
Consolidated GPP text integrated with the electronic drug-records requirement.
Vietnam deposits the instrument of accession to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention; replaces consular legalisation for most public documents from foreign signatories — major simplification for FSC / CPP / GMP packs.
Terminology update preparing the legal framework for the National Medical Licensing Examination (NMLE) pilot.
Signed and originally effective for 9 days before being suspended on 2026-02-04 (see next entry). Would have replaced NĐ 15/2018/NĐ-CP — self-declaration → conformity registration, packaging brought in-scope, HACCP / GMP / ISO 22000 mandate by 31 Dec 2026 — but none of those obligations are currently operating. NĐ 15/2018 continues to apply.
Resolution 09/2026/NQ-CP suspends Decree 46 (and Resolution 66.13/2026/NQ-CP on product declaration) following the customs-clearance crisis. NĐ 15/2018 continues to apply. The 75-day window was subsequently extended indefinitely by NQ 15/2026 — see the 6 April 2026 entry.
Replaces Circular 50/2018; tightens timelines and aligns with ICH expectations for first-in-human and reference-product trials.
Resolution 15/2026/NQ-CP extends the suspension of Decree 46/2026 (and Resolution 66.13/2026/NQ-CP) until the revised Food Safety Law and its implementing decrees take effect. NĐ 15/2018 continues to apply; dossiers filed before this resolution are handled per NĐ 15/2018. The revised Food Safety Law is expected at the September 2026 UBTVQH session (Resolution 119/2026/UBTVQH15).
Delegates food-advertising approval authority from the central VFA to provincial UBND; takes operational effect 1 July 2026.
Implementing circular for the special-control medicines regime. Etomidate and Carisoprodol reclassified as psychotropic effective immediately on signature; other provisions wait for 16 July 2026.
CCHN KCB issuance moves from MOH to the provincial People's Committee Chairperson; food-advertising approval operationally devolves to provinces; partial BHYT cover begins for select cross-tier outpatient services.
Procedures, storage rules, prescription / dispensing / disposal controls under TT 18/2026/TT-BYT all become active.
Apostille replaces consular legalisation for public documents from other signatories — direct simplification for FSC / CPP / GMP and medical-device technical files.
The NMLE under the Hội đồng Y khoa Quốc gia becomes the mandatory route for new CCHN KCB issuance for doctors. Exact rollout date phased under Law 15/2023 framework — confirm against MOH announcements.
End of the 12-month transition (from 1 July 2026) — registration of vị thuốc cổ truyền and dược liệu is fully handled at the provincial Sở Y tế.
End of the deferred transition: foreign healthcare practitioners must satisfy the Vietnamese-language proficiency requirement to maintain CCHN KCB.