Compliance · The complete guide

TITCK (Turkey)

TL;DR

Türkiye TİTCK (Türkiye İlaç ve Tıbbi Cihaz Kurumu — Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency) — operating under the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Türkiye (Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Sağlık Bakanlığı) — is the Republic of Türkiye's national regulatory authority for human medicines + biologicals + biosimilars + advanced therapy medicinal products + vaccines + medical devices + IVDs + cosmetics + dietary supplements + traditional herbal medicinal products + pharmacy practice + controlled substances + clinical trials across the entire territory of the Republic of Türkiye. TİTCK operates under Decree-Law 663 of 2011 (establishing TİTCK as autonomous regulatory body) + Law 1262 of 1928 (Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Preparations) + Law 6643 of 1953 (Turkish Pharmacists Association) + Law 984 of 1927 (Pharmacies and Pharmacists) + Regulation on Licensing of Medicinal Products for Human Use (2005, as amended — Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Ruhsatlandırma Yönetmeliği) + Medical Device Regulation (substantively aligned with EU MDR 2017/745 + IVDR 2017/746) + Cosmetics Regulation (substantively aligned with EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009) + Good Manufacturing Practice Guide + Good Distribution Practice Guide + Good Clinical Practice Guide + Good Pharmacovigilance Practice Guide + Council of Ministers Decisions + Health Ministry Decisions + TİTCK Decisions + Guidance Documents. TİTCK is headquartered in Ankara + operates substantial regional + provincial Ministry of Health structures. TİTCK is one of the largest + most operationally significant non-EU European pharmaceutical regulators + is a PIC/S Member (since 2018) + WHO PIDM Member + WHO PQ programme participant + maintains substantial EU Customs Union (1995) operational alignment + EU candidate-country status pharmaceutical-acquis alignment with EMA + maintains substantial bilateral cooperation with EMA + FDA + Health Canada + TGA + Swissmedic + MHRA + MFDS + Japanese PMDA + ASEAN + GCC + Arab League + EAEU + Caucasus + Central Asian regulators reflecting Türkiye's geographic + economic + diplomatic position as a regional pharmaceutical hub. This page covers TİTCK's regulatory architecture for Turkish + foreign manufacturers + sponsors targeting Türkiye (~85 million population, world's ~16th-largest economy by nominal GDP + ~11th-largest by PPP, world's ~6th-largest pharmaceutical-manufacturing exporter — substantial domestic pharmaceutical-manufacturing industry with ~80+ Turkish-domestic manufacturers + ~300+ pharmaceutical-manufacturing facilities including Abdi İbrahim + Bilim İlaç + Deva + Eczacıbaşı + Mustafa Nevzat + Pfizer Türkiye + Sanovel + Sanofi Türkiye + Recordati + Nobel + Polifarma + İlko + Atabay + World Medicine + Centurion; world's ~3rd-largest medical-device-manufacturing exporter to EU + GCC + Arab League + EAEU + Caucasus + Central Asian markets, Turkish labelling, substantial Climate Zone II coastal + IVa interior stability requirements).

Reviewed · By V5 Ultimate compliance team· 3,940 words · ~18 min read

01What TİTCK actually is

TİTCK (Türkiye İlaç ve Tıbbi Cihaz Kurumu — Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency) — operating under the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Türkiye (Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Sağlık Bakanlığı) — is the Republic of Türkiye's national regulatory authority for human medicines + biologicals + biosimilars + advanced therapy medicinal products + vaccines + medical devices + IVDs + cosmetics + dietary supplements + traditional herbal medicinal products + pharmacy practice + controlled substances + clinical trials across the entire territory of the Republic of Türkiye. TİTCK was established as an autonomous regulatory agency under Decree-Law 663 of 2011 + operates under Law 1262 of 1928 + Law 6643 of 1953 + Law 984 of 1927 + Regulation on Licensing of Medicinal Products for Human Use (2005) + Medical Device Regulation + Cosmetics Regulation + Good Practices Guides + Council of Ministers Decisions + Health Ministry Decisions + TİTCK Decisions + Guidance Documents.

TİTCK organisational structure includes:

  • Minister of Health (Sağlık Bakanı) — political head; appointed by the President of the Republic of Türkiye.
  • Deputy Minister + Undersecretary for Pharmaceutical Affairs.
  • TİTCK President (Kurum Başkanı) — Director General appointed by the Minister.
  • Vice-Presidents — operational deputies for Pharmaceutical Affairs + Medical Devices + Cosmetics + Inspection + Pharmacovigilance + International Affairs + Administrative Affairs.
  • Department of Pharmaceutical Licensing (İlaç Ruhsatlandırma Dairesi) — drug + biological + biosimilar + vaccine + ATMP + generic-medicine licensing.
  • Department of Pharmaceutical Inspection (İlaç Denetim Dairesi) — GMP + GDP + GPP + GVP + GLP inspections of Turkish + foreign manufacturing facilities; PIC/S Member capability.
  • Department of Medical Devices (Tıbbi Cihaz Dairesi) — medical-device + IVD registration + matériovigilance substantively aligned with EU MDR + IVDR.
  • Department of Pharmacy Practice (Eczacılık Dairesi) — pharmacy + pharmaceutical-establishment licensing.
  • Department of Cosmetics + Dietary Supplements (Kozmetik ve Gıda Takviyeleri Dairesi) — cosmetic-product notification substantively aligned with EU Cosmetics Regulation + dietary-supplement notification.
  • Department of Controlled Substances (Kontrole Tabi Maddeler Dairesi) — narcotics + psychotropics framework coordination with INCB + Ministry of Interior + Turkish National Police + Turkish Gendarmerie + Turkish Customs.
  • Department of Pharmacovigilance (Farmakovijilans Dairesi) — Türkiye Pharmacovigilance Centre (TÜFAM — Türkiye Farmakovijilans Merkezi) coordination; WHO PIDM affiliated.
  • Department of Clinical Trials (Klinik Araştırmalar Dairesi) — CTA + Ethics Committee coordination.
  • Quality Control Laboratories (Kalite Kontrol Laboratuvarları) — TİTCK pharmaceutical + medical-device + cosmetic QC laboratories with ISO/IEC 17025 + WHO PQ-Lab.
  • International Affairs Department — EMA + FDA + Health Canada + TGA + Swissmedic + MHRA + PIC/S + WHO + ICH + Arab League + GCC + EAEU + bilateral coordination.

Türkiye's distinctive regional pharmaceutical-hub context: Türkiye is one of the largest + most operationally significant non-EU European pharmaceutical regulators. The Republic of Türkiye is a substantial regional pharmaceutical-manufacturing hub with ~80+ Turkish-domestic manufacturers + ~300+ pharmaceutical-manufacturing facilities. Türkiye is the world's ~6th-largest pharmaceutical-manufacturing exporter + the world's ~3rd-largest medical-device-manufacturing exporter, with substantial export markets in EU + Arab League + GCC + EMRO + EAEU + Caucasus + Central Asian + sub-Saharan African + Balkans + South-East Asian + Latin American markets. Türkiye operates substantial EU Customs Union (1995) operational alignment + EU candidate-country status pharmaceutical-acquis alignment with EMA. Türkiye's geographic + economic + diplomatic position at the crossroads of Europe + Asia + Africa makes it one of the most operationally significant pharmaceutical regulators globally for foreign manufacturers + sponsors targeting EMEA + EAEU + Caucasus + Central Asian markets.

TİTCK is distinct from + complementary to: the Turkish Pharmacists Association (Türk Eczacıları Birliği — TEB, professional licensing body for individual pharmacists); İEİS (Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Türkiye); the substantial Turkish-domestic pharmaceutical-manufacturing industry including Abdi İbrahim + Bilim İlaç + Deva + Eczacıbaşı + Mustafa Nevzat + Pfizer Türkiye + Sanovel + Sanofi Türkiye + Recordati + Nobel + Polifarma + İlko + Atabay + World Medicine + Centurion; Turkish medical schools + pharmacy faculties (Hacettepe University + Istanbul University + Ankara University + Ege University + Marmara University + Gazi University + 9 Eylül University + Yeditepe University + Bahçeşehir University + Bezmialem Vakıf University); the Social Security Institution (SGK — Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu) responsible for substantial pharmaceutical-reimbursement coordination; and substantial Turkish biopharmaceutical-research infrastructure including TÜBİTAK + TÜSEB + Acıbadem + Memorial + American Hospital + Florence Nightingale academic-medical-centre clinical-research capacity. Türkiye's pharmaceutical environment is uniquely characterised by: substantial regional pharmaceutical-manufacturing hub status; substantial EU Customs Union (1995) operational alignment + EU pharmaceutical-acquis alignment; PIC/S Member status (since 2018) enabling substantial mutual-recognition agreements with EU + UK + Switzerland + Japan + Australia + Canada + Singapore + Indonesia + Malaysia + Korea + Iran + Argentina + USA-FDA bilateral inspections; substantial export markets in EU + Arab League + GCC + EMRO + EAEU + Caucasus + Central Asian + sub-Saharan African + Balkans + South-East Asian + Latin American markets; substantial domestic pharmaceutical-manufacturing-industry capacity; Climate Zone II coastal (Istanbul + Izmir + Antalya + Adana + Mersin + Trabzon + Samsun + Black Sea coast) + Climate Zone IVa interior (Ankara + Konya + Kayseri + Gaziantep + Diyarbakır + Erzurum + Eastern Anatolia) stability requirements.

TİTCK is a PIC/S Member (since 2018) + WHO PIDM Member + WHO PQ programme participant + substantial EMA bilateral cooperation under EU Customs Union (1995) operational alignment + EU candidate-country status pharmaceutical-acquis alignment + maintains substantial bilateral cooperation with FDA + Health Canada + TGA + Swissmedic + MHRA + MFDS + Japanese PMDA + ASEAN + GCC + Arab League + EAEU + Caucasus + Central Asian regulators reflecting Türkiye's geographic + economic + diplomatic position as a regional pharmaceutical hub.

02Turkish pharmaceutical regulatory framework

Turkish pharmaceutical regulation operates under a layered framework of Decree-Laws + Laws + Council of Ministers Decisions + Health Ministry Decisions + TİTCK Decisions + Regulations + Guidance Documents — substantively aligned with EU pharmaceutical acquis under EU Customs Union (1995) operational alignment + EU candidate-country status:

  • Decree-Law 663 of 2011 — TİTCK establishment as autonomous regulatory agency.
  • Law 1262 of 1928 — Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Preparations (foundational pharmaceutical law).
  • Law 6643 of 1953 — Turkish Pharmacists Association (TEB).
  • Law 984 of 1927 — Pharmacies and Pharmacists.
  • Regulation on Licensing of Medicinal Products for Human Use (2005, as amended — Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Ruhsatlandırma Yönetmeliği) — substantively aligned with EU Directive 2001/83/EC.
  • Medical Device Regulation — substantively aligned with EU MDR 2017/745 + IVDR 2017/746.
  • Cosmetics Regulation — substantively aligned with EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009.
  • TİTCK GMP Guide — substantively aligned with PIC/S GMP Guide + EU GMP + ICH Q7 + WHO TRS 986 Annex 2.
  • TİTCK GDP Guide — substantively aligned with EU GDP + WHO GDP.
  • TİTCK GCP Guide — substantively aligned with ICH E6(R2).
  • TİTCK GVP Guide — substantively aligned with EU GVP + ICH E2.
  • Pharmacopoeia recognition — Türkiye Pharmacopoeia (Türk Farmakopesi) + recognises European Pharmacopoeia + British Pharmacopoeia + USP + Indian Pharmacopoeia + Japanese Pharmacopoeia.
  • Turkish National Essential Medicines List — substantively aligned with WHO Essential Medicines List + SGK Reimbursement List.
  • Variations + 5-year Drug Registration Renewal framework substantively aligned with EU.
  • Pricing Decree — substantive pricing-control framework via Ministry of Health Pricing Commission + reference-pricing methodology aligned with EU member-state reference baskets.
  • Localisation Policy Framework — distinctive Turkish-domestic pharmaceutical-manufacturing localisation policy supporting Turkish-domestic manufacturing investment + technology transfer + SGK reimbursement preferential treatment for Turkish-manufactured products.
  • EU Customs Union (1995) Pharmaceutical Operational Alignment — substantial EU operational alignment for industrial products including pharmaceuticals + medical devices + cosmetics.

03Drug + biological registration pathways at TİTCK

PathwayUse caseClock + content
New Drug Licensing (Yeni İlaç Ruhsatı)First-in-Türkiye new chemical entity / new biological / new indication; full TİTCK scientific review + Drug Licensing Commission opinion + GMP inspection where required.TİTCK target review: 210 calendar days for new drug Licensing per Regulation; subject to clock-stops for company-response.
Generic Drug Licensing (Jenerik İlaç Ruhsatı)Generic version of registered Reference Drug; bioequivalence study where required per TİTCK BE Guidance.TİTCK target review: 180 calendar days for generic Licensing; substantially reduced for EMA + SRA-approved generics.
Biosimilar LicensingBiosimilar version of registered reference biological; per TİTCK + EMA biosimilar guidance.TİTCK target review: 210 calendar days; comparability + clinical pathway substantively aligned with EMA.
Vaccine LicensingVaccines for human use including National Immunisation Programme + travel + pandemic vaccines.TİTCK target review: 210 calendar days; EMA + WHO PQ + FDA + Health Canada reliance accepted; substantial Turkish-domestic vaccine-manufacturing capacity.
ATMP LicensingAdvanced Therapy Medicinal Products (gene therapy, cell therapy, tissue-engineered products); per TİTCK + EMA ATMP guidance.TİTCK target review: 210 calendar days; comparability + clinical pathway substantively aligned with EMA ATMP framework.
EMA / SRA RelianceReliance on EMA + FDA + Health Canada + TGA + Swissmedic + MHRA + MFDS decisions.TİTCK target review: substantially reduced timeline for SRA-approved products; central given EU Customs Union operational alignment + EU candidate-country pharmaceutical-acquis alignment.
WHO PQ Programme ParticipationTürkiye-manufactured medicines + vaccines submitted to WHO PQ for substantial UN-agency humanitarian procurement + LMIC market access via Turkish-domestic manufacturers.Substantial Turkish-domestic manufacturer WHO PQ engagement for UN-agency humanitarian procurement opportunities.
Localisation Policy PathwayDistinctive Turkish-domestic pharmaceutical-manufacturing localisation policy pathway supporting Turkish-domestic manufacturing investment + technology transfer + SGK reimbursement preferential treatment for Turkish-manufactured products.TİTCK + SGK coordinated review; substantial preferential treatment + reimbursement-positive-listing acceleration for Turkish-localised products.
Variations + 5-year RenewalVariations + mandatory 5-year renewal of Licensing substantively aligned with EU.Variations 30-180 calendar days substantively aligned with EU Variations Regulation; renewal 90-180 calendar days.
Clinical Trial Application (CTA)Turkish clinical trials require TİTCK CTA + Ethics Committee approval + GCP compliance; substantial Turkish academic-medical-centre clinical-research capacity.TİTCK target review: 60 calendar days for CTA; substantial Turkish clinical-trials hub role.
Compassionate Use + Named PatientCompassionate-use + named-patient access frameworks for unmet-medical-need patients per TİTCK guidance.Expedited TİTCK review on case-by-case basis.
Orphan Drug DesignationTİTCK orphan-drug designation framework substantively aligned with EMA orphan-drug framework.TİTCK designation review with substantial regulatory + reimbursement benefits.
Pricing + SGK Reimbursement CoordinationPricing-control framework via Ministry of Health Pricing Commission + reference-pricing methodology aligned with EU member-state reference baskets + Social Security Institution (SGK) Reimbursement Commission coordination.Parallel pricing + reimbursement review post-Licensing; substantial Turkish-localised + WHO PQ preferential treatment.

04TİTCK Quality Control Laboratories + GMP Inspection + PIC/S Member capability

TİTCK Quality Control Laboratories (Kalite Kontrol Laboratuvarları) are TİTCK's central pharmaceutical + medical-device + cosmetic quality-control laboratories with substantial ISO/IEC 17025 + WHO PQ-Lab capacity. TİTCK is a PIC/S Member (since 2018) enabling substantial mutual-recognition agreements with EU + UK + Switzerland + Japan + Australia + Canada + Singapore + Indonesia + Malaysia + Korea + Iran + Argentina + USA-FDA bilateral inspections. TİTCK Pharmaceutical Inspection Department conducts substantial inspections of Turkish-domestic + foreign manufacturing facilities both domestically + via PIC/S mutual-recognition + bilateral arrangements.

  • ISO/IEC 17025 — TİTCK Quality Control Laboratories operate with substantial ISO/IEC 17025 accredited scope.
  • WHO PQ-Lab — TİTCK Quality Control Laboratories are WHO PQ-Lab participating; substantial WHO PQ programme participation.
  • PIC/S Member (since 2018) — substantial mutual-recognition agreements with EU + UK + Switzerland + Japan + Australia + Canada + Singapore + Indonesia + Malaysia + Korea + Iran + Argentina + USA-FDA bilateral inspections; one of the most operationally significant TİTCK capabilities for foreign-manufacturer GMP-inspection coordination.
  • Vaccine lot release — TİTCK Quality Control Laboratories conduct vaccine lot-release testing for Turkish National Immunisation Programme including substantial Turkish-domestic vaccine-manufacturing capacity.
  • Pharmaceutical pre-licensing + post-market testing — pre-licensing quality testing + substantial post-market surveillance + targeted enforcement testing.
  • Medical-device + IVD testing — pre-market + post-market quality testing substantively aligned with EU MDR + IVDR.
  • Cosmetic-product + dietary-supplement testing — safety + ingredient compliance testing substantively aligned with EU Cosmetics Regulation.
  • Counterfeit-medicine forensics — substantial forensic analytical support for TİTCK + Ministry of Interior + Turkish National Police + Turkish Gendarmerie + Turkish Customs + WHO Global Surveillance & Monitoring System contributions; substantial counterfeit-medicine quality risk given Türkiye's geographic position as European-Asian-African crossroads.
  • Türkiye İTS Track-and-Trace System — substantial Turkish pharmaceutical track-and-trace system (İlaç Takip Sistemi — İTS) operational since 2008; one of the world's most mature pharmaceutical track-and-trace systems substantially aligned with EU FMD 2011/62/EU.
  • Capacity-building — substantial WHO + EMA + USP + bilateral-donor capacity-building programmes + training for Turkish pharmaceutical analysts.
  • GMP Inspectorate — substantial PIC/S Member capability for Turkish + foreign manufacturing facility GMP inspections both domestically + via PIC/S mutual-recognition + bilateral arrangements; substantial export-market support for ~80+ Turkish-domestic manufacturers.
  • Turkish domestic manufacturer support — supports substantial Turkish-domestic pharmaceutical-manufacturing industry including ~80+ manufacturers + ~300+ pharmaceutical-manufacturing facilities including Abdi İbrahim + Bilim İlaç + Deva + Eczacıbaşı + Mustafa Nevzat + Pfizer Türkiye + Sanovel + Sanofi Türkiye + Recordati + Nobel + Polifarma + İlko + Atabay + World Medicine + Centurion.

05Medical Device + IVD + Cosmetic + Dietary Supplement Registration

TİTCK medical-device + IVD regulation operates under Türkiye Medical Device Regulation substantively aligned with EU MDR 2017/745 + IVDR 2017/746 reflecting EU Customs Union (1995) operational implications. Türkiye is the world's ~3rd-largest medical-device-manufacturing exporter with substantial export markets in EU + Arab League + GCC + EMRO + EAEU + Caucasus + Central Asia + sub-Saharan Africa + Balkans + South-East Asia + Latin America.

  • Risk-based Classification (Class I / IIa / IIb / III) — substantively aligned with EU MDR; IVDs classified under separate framework substantively aligned with EU IVDR.
  • Turkish Authorised Representative — Türkiye-resident legal entity required for foreign manufacturers; bears post-market vigilance responsibility + TİTCK regulatory interface.
  • ISO 13485:2016 — recognised by TİTCK as QMS evidence framework; substantial Turkish-domestic manufacturer ISO 13485 capacity.
  • Türkiye Notified Body capacity — TİTCK-designated Turkish Notified Bodies for EU CE Mark + Türkiye-specific medical-device conformity assessment; substantial regional Notified Body role.
  • Reliance pathways — TİTCK accepts CE Mark + FDA 510(k) + FDA PMA + Health Canada + TGA + Swissmedic + MFDS + Japan-approval evidence as supporting evidence; CE Mark particularly central given EU Customs Union operational alignment.
  • ÜTS — Ürün Takip Sistemi — substantial Turkish medical-device track-and-trace system operational alongside pharmaceutical İTS.
  • Post-market vigilance — TİTCK operates medical-device adverse-event reporting; reporting timelines substantively aligned with EU MDR + IMDRF Adverse Event Reporting Codes.
  • IVD Réactovigilance — TİTCK operates IVD réactovigilance reflecting Türkiye's substantial clinical-laboratory infrastructure including academic-medical-centres + private-hospital networks.
  • Cosmetic Notification — cosmetics require TİTCK Cosmetic Notification + Turkish labelling; INCI-aligned ingredient listing + safety substantiation; substantively EU Cosmetics Regulation-aligned framework.
  • Dietary Supplement Registration — TİTCK Dietary Supplements framework; substantively aligned with EU food-supplement framework + Codex Alimentarius.
  • Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products — distinctive Turkish traditional-herbal-medicinal-products framework substantively aligned with EU Directive 2004/24/EC + recognising substantial Turkish-traditional-medicine heritage.
  • Substantial Export-Market Support — TİTCK + Turkish Notified Bodies provide substantial Turkish-domestic manufacturer export-market support to EU + Arab League + GCC + EMRO + EAEU + Caucasus + Central Asian markets via CE Mark + GMP Certificate + Free Sale Certificate + Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product issuance.

06TİTCK Pharmacovigilance + TÜFAM

TİTCK operates the Türkiye Pharmacovigilance Centre (TÜFAM — Türkiye Farmakovijilans Merkezi). Türkiye is a WHO Programme for International Drug Monitoring (PIDM) member + contributes substantial ADR data to VigiBase via Uppsala Monitoring Centre (UMC). TÜFAM coordinates with academic-medical-centres + private-hospital networks + Turkish Pharmacists Association + Marketing Authorisation Holders. Turkish pharmacovigilance is uniquely shaped by substantial regional pharmaceutical-hub status + EU GVP operational alignment + substantial Turkish-domestic vaccine-manufacturing capacity surveillance commitments + substantial Turkish-domestic ATMP-development surveillance commitments.

  • TÜFAM (Türkiye Farmakovijilans Merkezi) — coordinated by TİTCK Department of Pharmacovigilance.
  • WHO PIDM Member — Türkiye contributes substantial ADR data to VigiBase via Uppsala Monitoring Centre; one of the largest non-EU European contributors.
  • Turkish PV Network — coordinated national network with effector centres in major Turkish academic-medical-centres (Hacettepe University Hospital + Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa + Istanbul University Çapa + Ankara University İbn-i Sina + Ege University + Marmara University + Gazi University + 9 Eylül University + Acıbadem Hospitals + Memorial Hospitals + American Hospital + Florence Nightingale) + Turkish Pharmacists Association + Marketing Authorisation Holders.
  • ADR Reporting — TİTCK operates ADR reporting via TÜFAM portal; available for healthcare professionals + consumers + Marketing Authorisation Holders + with substantial healthcare-professional reporting culture.
  • E2B(R3) ICSR — TİTCK accepts E2B(R3) format ICSR submissions; 15-day SUSAR reporting timeline for clinical trials + post-market substantively aligned with EU GVP.
  • PSUR / PBRER — periodic safety update reports substantively aligned with ICH E2C(R2) + EU GVP.
  • Risk Management Plans (RMP) — TİTCK requires ICH E2E + EU GVP-aligned Pharmacovigilance Plan + Risk Management Plan for new drugs + biosimilars + vaccines + ATMPs + high-risk products.
  • Active surveillance — TÜFAM operates substantial active-surveillance programmes for COVID-19 vaccines + childhood immunisation + ATMPs + high-risk products.
  • AEFI Surveillance — Turkish vaccine adverse-event surveillance aligned with WHO methodology; central to Turkish National Immunisation Programme + substantial UNICEF + WHO-supported immunisation campaigns.
  • Matériovigilance + Cosmétovigilance — TİTCK operates parallel matériovigilance for medical devices + cosmétovigilance for cosmetics substantively aligned with EU MDR + IVDR + Cosmetics Regulation.
  • Counterfeit + substandard medicine surveillance — substantial role given Türkiye's geographic position as European-Asian-African crossroads + substantial Türkiye İTS Track-and-Trace System operational since 2008.
  • EU GVP Operational Alignment — substantial EU GVP operational alignment under EU Customs Union + EU candidate-country pharmaceutical-acquis alignment.
  • PIC/S Mutual-Recognition — substantial PIC/S Member pharmacovigilance + GMP-inspection mutual-recognition with EU + UK + Switzerland + Japan + Australia + Canada + Singapore + Indonesia + Malaysia + Korea + Iran + Argentina + USA-FDA.

07TİTCK international engagement

  • PIC/S Member (since 2018) — one of the most operationally significant TİTCK capabilities; substantial mutual-recognition agreements with EU + UK + Switzerland + Japan + Australia + Canada + Singapore + Indonesia + Malaysia + Korea + Iran + Argentina + USA-FDA bilateral inspections.
  • WHO PIDM Member — Türkiye contributes substantial ADR data to VigiBase via Uppsala Monitoring Centre; one of the largest non-EU European contributors.
  • WHO PQ Programme Participant — Türkiye-manufactured medicines + vaccines via WHO PQ enable substantial UN-agency humanitarian procurement + LMIC market access for Turkish-domestic manufacturers.
  • EMA Cooperation — substantial EMA bilateral cooperation under EU Customs Union (1995) operational alignment + EU candidate-country status pharmaceutical-acquis alignment.
  • EU Customs Union (1995) — substantial EU operational alignment for industrial products including pharmaceuticals + medical devices + cosmetics; substantively EU-acquis aligned framework.
  • FDA + Health Canada + TGA + Swissmedic + MHRA + MFDS Bilateral — TİTCK maintains substantial Stringent Regulatory Authority bilateral cooperation.
  • Japanese PMDA Bilateral — substantial bilateral cooperation reflecting Türkiye-Japan pharmaceutical trade.
  • Indian CDSCO Bilateral — substantial trade-driven cooperation reflecting India as substantial pharmaceutical + API import source for Türkiye.
  • Egyptian EDA + Saudi SFDA + UAE MoHAP + Jordanian JFDA + Lebanese MoPH + Iraqi MoH + Syrian MoH + Palestinian MoH + Yemeni SBDMA + Moroccan DMP + Tunisian DPM/ANPM + Algerian ANPP Bilateral — substantial Arab League + GCC + EMRO + Mashreq + Maghreb trade-driven cooperation reflecting Türkiye as substantial pharmaceutical export source.
  • Roszdravnadzor Bilateral — substantial EAEU + neighbour cooperation reflecting Türkiye-Russia pharmaceutical trade.
  • Caucasus + Central Asian Regulators Bilateral — substantial bilateral cooperation with Azerbaijan + Georgia + Kazakhstan + Uzbekistan + Turkmenistan + Kyrgyzstan + Tajikistan reflecting Türkiye's substantial Turkic-states pharmaceutical export hub role.
  • ICH Observer + Observer-Pathway-Engagement — substantial ICH guideline implementation in Turkish regulatory practice including ICH Q1-Q14 + E1-E20 + M1-M11 + S1-S12.
  • ICDRA + EURO + IMDRF participation — substantial International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities + WHO EURO + International Medical Device Regulators Forum participation.
  • International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (IGBA) + International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) — substantial international generic + biosimilar + pharmacoeconomic cooperation.
  • Donor + Bilateral Cooperation — substantial bilateral cooperation with EU + USAID (historical) + UK FCDO + Germany BMZ/GIZ + Japan JICA + World Bank + Islamic Development Bank for pharmaceutical-regulatory + healthcare programming.

08Common TİTCK licensing issues + missteps

  • EU Customs Union + EU candidate-country pharmaceutical-acquis alignment under-leveraged — most operationally significant feature of Turkish pharmaceutical market access; substantial EMA reliance + EU GMP / EU GVP / EU MDR / EU IVDR / EU Cosmetics Regulation alignment + EU Notified Body cross-recognition substantially under-leveraged by foreign manufacturers.
  • PIC/S Member (since 2018) mutual-recognition under-leveraged — substantial PIC/S Member mutual-recognition with EU + UK + Switzerland + Japan + Australia + Canada + Singapore + Indonesia + Malaysia + Korea + Iran + Argentina + USA-FDA bilateral inspections substantially under-leveraged for GMP-inspection coordination.
  • Turkish Authorised Representative not properly designated — application rejected at TİTCK intake or post-approval compliance failure; Turkish Authorised Representative must be Türkiye-resident legal entity with appropriate licensure.
  • Turkish labelling deficiencies — Turkish required; many applicants provide insufficient Turkish-language patient leaflet content.
  • TİTCK GMP gaps — applicants assuming EU GMP / PIC/S GMP / FDA GMP compliance is automatically sufficient without addressing Türkiye-specific TİTCK GMP clarifications.
  • Türkiye climate-zone stability data missing — Türkiye is Climate Zone II coastal (Istanbul + Izmir + Antalya + Adana + Mersin + Trabzon + Samsun + Black Sea coast) + Climate Zone IVa interior (Ankara + Konya + Kayseri + Gaziantep + Diyarbakır + Erzurum + Eastern Anatolia); requires substantial zonal-specific stability data.
  • Localisation Policy Pathway under-leveraged — distinctive Turkish-domestic pharmaceutical-manufacturing localisation policy substantially under-leveraged; substantial SGK reimbursement preferential treatment + market-access acceleration for Turkish-localised products.
  • Pricing + SGK Reimbursement Coordination not planned — parallel pricing + reimbursement review post-Licensing frequently under-planned; substantial Turkish-localised + WHO PQ preferential treatment available.
  • WHO PQ programme opportunity not leveraged — Turkish-domestic manufacturers + foreign manufacturers operating Turkish-domestic facilities can leverage substantial WHO PQ programme participation for UN-agency humanitarian procurement + LMIC market access.
  • EMA + SRA reliance under-utilised — substantial EMA + Stringent Regulatory Authority reliance substantially under-utilised despite EU Customs Union operational alignment.
  • Trade-partner reliance (India CDSCO / Egypt EDA / Saudi SFDA / UAE MoHAP / Jordanian JFDA / Roszdravnadzor / Caucasus + Central Asian) under-utilised — substantial trade-driven reliance reflecting Türkiye's substantial pharmaceutical-trade relationships.
  • Bioequivalence centres + biowaiver — TİTCK BE Guidance provides BCS-based biowaivers substantively aligned with EU; applicants frequently submit BE studies where biowaivers would suffice.
  • Türkiye İTS Track-and-Trace System under-leveraged — substantial Turkish pharmaceutical track-and-trace system operational since 2008 substantially under-leveraged by foreign manufacturers for substantial post-market quality surveillance + serialisation compliance.
  • Counterfeit + substandard medicine quality risks under-monitored — Türkiye's geographic position as European-Asian-African crossroads creates substantial counterfeit + substandard medicine quality risks requiring substantial post-market quality surveillance.
  • Substantial Turkish export-market support not leveraged — substantial Turkish Notified Body + TİTCK GMP Certificate + CE Mark + Free Sale Certificate + Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product capacity substantially under-leveraged for foreign-manufacturer Turkish-localised production + EU + Arab League + GCC + EMRO + EAEU + Caucasus + Central Asia export markets.
  • Substantial Turkish academic-medical-centre clinical-research capacity not leveraged — substantial Turkish clinical-trial hub role + ~6th-largest pharmaceutical-manufacturing exporter status substantially under-leveraged.
  • Variations strategy not planned — variations procedure substantively similar to EU but with Türkiye-specific timelines + fee structure.
  • Licensing renewal timing missed — 5-year renewal must be filed within prescribed window before expiry; missed deadline triggers de-licensing.

09How V5 Ultimate supports TİTCK readiness

V5 Ultimate provides the operational infrastructure Turkish + foreign-supplier sites need for Decree-Law 663 of 2011 + Law 1262 of 1928 + Regulation on Licensing of Medicinal Products for Human Use + TİTCK GMP + Medical Device Regulation + Cosmetics Regulation + EU Customs Union pharmaceutical-acquis alignment + PIC/S Member mutual-recognition + WHO PQ programme participation + TÜFAM pharmacovigilance + Türkiye İTS Track-and-Trace System + substantial Turkish-domestic manufacturer export-market support to EU + Arab League + GCC + EMRO + EAEU + Caucasus + Central Asian markets.

  • TİTCK GMP control framework — PIC/S + EU GMP + ICH Q7 + WHO TRS 986 Annex 2-aligned controls with ALCOA+ data-integrity + Türkiye-specific clarifications + Climate Zone II coastal + IVa interior stability monitoring.
  • TİTCK Licensing dossier packaging — Türkiye CTD-aligned dossier structure with Türkiye Module 1 specifics + Module 3 stability + Turkish patient leaflet + Turkish Authorised Representative declarations + Regulation on Licensing of Medicinal Products framework + substantial EU Module reuse.
  • EU Customs Union pharmaceutical-acquis alignment workflow — most operationally significant feature; substantial EMA reliance + EU GMP / EU GVP / EU MDR / EU IVDR / EU Cosmetics Regulation alignment + EU Notified Body cross-recognition packaging.
  • PIC/S Member mutual-recognition workflow — substantial PIC/S Member mutual-recognition with EU + UK + Switzerland + Japan + Australia + Canada + Singapore + Indonesia + Malaysia + Korea + Iran + Argentina + USA-FDA bilateral inspections packaging for GMP-inspection coordination.
  • WHO PQ programme workflow — Türkiye-manufactured medicines + vaccines WHO PQ submission packaging for substantial UN-agency humanitarian procurement + LMIC market access.
  • EMA + SRA reliance workflow — TİTCK-EMA + TİTCK-FDA + TİTCK-Health Canada + TGA + Swissmedic + MHRA + MFDS + PMDA reliance packaging.
  • Localisation Policy Pathway workflow — distinctive Turkish-domestic pharmaceutical-manufacturing localisation packaging + SGK reimbursement preferential treatment + market-access acceleration for Turkish-localised products.
  • Pricing + SGK Reimbursement Coordination workflow — Ministry of Health Pricing Commission + SGK Reimbursement Commission coordination packaging for parallel pricing + reimbursement review post-Licensing.
  • Türkiye İTS Track-and-Trace System integration — substantial Turkish pharmaceutical track-and-trace system (operational since 2008) serialisation + reporting integration; one of the world's most mature pharmaceutical track-and-trace systems substantially aligned with EU FMD 2011/62/EU.
  • ÜTS Medical Device Track-and-Trace System integration — substantial Turkish medical-device track-and-trace system integration.
  • Trade-partner reliance workflow (India CDSCO / Egypt EDA / Saudi SFDA / UAE MoHAP / Jordanian JFDA / Roszdravnadzor / Caucasus + Central Asian) — substantial trade-driven reliance packaging.
  • Turkish Authorised Representative workflow — foreign-manufacturer Turkish Authorised Representative designation + role-management + Türkiye-specific post-market surveillance.
  • Turkish clinical-trial workflow — TİTCK CTA + Hacettepe / Istanbul / Ankara / Ege / Marmara / Gazi / Acıbadem / Memorial / American Hospital / Florence Nightingale Ethics Committee coordination + Turkish SUSAR reporting via TÜFAM; substantial Turkish clinical-trials hub role.
  • TÜFAM integration — E2B(R3) ICSR generation + 15-day SUSAR timeline + PSUR / PBRER packaging + Turkish ICSR + Turkish PV Network coordination + VigiBase upload + Risk Management Plan packaging + AEFI vaccine adverse-event reporting + EU GVP operational alignment.
  • Matériovigilance + Cosmétovigilance workflow — parallel matériovigilance + cosmétovigilance packaging substantively aligned with EU MDR + IVDR + Cosmetics Regulation.
  • Medical-device + IVD + cosmetic + dietary-supplement + traditional-herbal-medicinal-product workflow — TİTCK frameworks dossier packaging + Class I-III classification + ISO 13485 + Turkish Notified Body + Turkish Authorised Representative + post-market vigilance.
  • Counterfeit + substandard medicine surveillance workflow — Türkiye's geographic position as European-Asian-African crossroads monitoring + WHO Global Surveillance & Monitoring System integration + İTS Track-and-Trace integration.
  • ATMP workflow — TİTCK ATMP licensing packaging substantively aligned with EMA ATMP framework.
  • Turkish export-market support workflow — substantial Turkish Notified Body + TİTCK GMP Certificate + CE Mark + Free Sale Certificate + Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product capacity packaging for foreign-manufacturer Turkish-localised production + EU + Arab League + GCC + EMRO + EAEU + Caucasus + Central Asia export markets.
  • EU + Arab League + GCC + EMRO + EAEU + Caucasus + Central Asia regional bridging — for companies operating across EU + Arab League + GCC + EMRO + EAEU + Caucasus + Central Asian jurisdictions, V5 surfaces TİTCK + EMA + Egypt EDA + Saudi SFDA + UAE MoHAP + Jordan JFDA + Lebanon MoPH + Iraq MoH + Syria MoH + Palestine MoH + Yemen SBDMA + Morocco DMP + Tunisia DPM/ANPM + Algeria ANPP + Roszdravnadzor + Caucasus + Central Asian harmonised dossier-element reuse alongside national-specific extensions.

Frequently asked questions

Q.What does Türkiye TİTCK regulate?+

TİTCK (Türkiye İlaç ve Tıbbi Cihaz Kurumu — Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency) — operating under the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Türkiye — is the Republic of Türkiye's national regulatory authority for human medicines (drugs, biologicals, biosimilars, vaccines, ATMPs), medical devices + IVDs + cosmetics + dietary supplements + traditional herbal medicinal products + pharmacy practice + controlled substances + clinical trials under Decree-Law 663 of 2011 + Law 1262 of 1928 + Regulation on Licensing of Medicinal Products for Human Use (2005). TİTCK operates Department of Pharmaceutical Licensing + Department of Pharmaceutical Inspection + Department of Medical Devices + Department of Pharmacy Practice + Department of Cosmetics + Dietary Supplements + Department of Controlled Substances + Department of Pharmacovigilance (TÜFAM) + Department of Clinical Trials + Quality Control Laboratories. TİTCK is a PIC/S Member (since 2018) + WHO PIDM Member + WHO PQ programme participant.

Q.How does Türkiye's EU Customs Union + EU candidate-country pharmaceutical-acquis alignment affect market access?+

Türkiye's EU Customs Union (1995) + EU candidate-country status pharmaceutical-acquis alignment is one of the most operationally significant features of Turkish pharmaceutical market access. Türkiye operates substantial EU operational alignment for industrial products including pharmaceuticals + medical devices + cosmetics; TİTCK pharmaceutical framework is substantively aligned with EU pharmaceutical acquis including Directive 2001/83/EC (Regulation on Licensing of Medicinal Products for Human Use) + EU MDR 2017/745 (Türkiye Medical Device Regulation) + EU IVDR 2017/746 + EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 + EU GMP + EU GVP + EU GDP + EU FMD 2011/62/EU (Türkiye İTS Track-and-Trace System); substantial EMA bilateral cooperation + Stringent Regulatory Authority reliance pathway. This substantially reduces dossier preparation effort + accelerates TİTCK review for EMA-approved products + enables substantial Turkish Notified Body + EU CE Mark cross-recognition + substantial Turkish-domestic manufacturer EU + EMEA export-market access.

Q.How long does TİTCK Licensing take?+

Standard timelines: new drug Licensing 210 calendar days; generic Licensing 180 calendar days; biosimilar Licensing 210 calendar days; vaccine Licensing 210 calendar days; ATMP Licensing 210 calendar days; EMA + SRA reliance substantially reduced; WHO PQ programme participation for Turkish-domestic manufacturers; Localisation Policy Pathway with TİTCK + SGK coordinated review + preferential treatment; Variations 30-180 calendar days substantively aligned with EU Variations Regulation; Clinical Trial Application 60 calendar days; Compassionate Use + Named Patient expedited; Orphan Drug Designation; Pricing + SGK Reimbursement Coordination parallel review post-Licensing. EU Customs Union pharmaceutical-acquis alignment + PIC/S Member mutual-recognition + EMA + SRA reliance + Localisation Policy Pathway + WHO PQ programme participation are essential acceleration strategies for sponsors targeting Türkiye.

Q.What is the significance of Türkiye's PIC/S Member status (since 2018)?+

TİTCK PIC/S Member status (since 2018) is one of the most operationally significant TİTCK capabilities. PIC/S Membership enables substantial mutual-recognition agreements with EU + UK + Switzerland + Japan + Australia + Canada + Singapore + Indonesia + Malaysia + Korea + Iran + Argentina + USA-FDA bilateral inspections. This substantially reduces GMP-inspection burden + cost + timeline for foreign manufacturers operating Turkish-domestic facilities + for Turkish-domestic manufacturers exporting to PIC/S Member markets. Türkiye is one of the largest + most operationally significant non-EU European PIC/S Members. PIC/S Member status enables substantial Turkish Notified Body + TİTCK GMP Certificate + CE Mark + Free Sale Certificate + Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product issuance for substantial Turkish-domestic manufacturer export-market support to EU + Arab League + GCC + EMRO + EAEU + Caucasus + Central Asia + sub-Saharan Africa + Balkans + South-East Asia + Latin America.

Q.Is TİTCK part of PIC/S + WHO PIDM + WHO PQ?+

Yes — TİTCK is a PIC/S Member (since 2018) — one of the most operationally significant TİTCK capabilities; a WHO PIDM Member contributing substantial ADR data to VigiBase via Uppsala Monitoring Centre (one of the largest non-EU European contributors); a WHO PQ programme participant enabling substantial UN-agency humanitarian procurement + LMIC market access via Turkish-domestic manufacturers; maintains substantial EMA bilateral cooperation under EU Customs Union (1995) operational alignment + EU candidate-country pharmaceutical-acquis alignment; substantial bilateral cooperation with FDA + Health Canada + TGA + Swissmedic + MHRA + MFDS + Japanese PMDA + Indian CDSCO + Egyptian EDA + Saudi SFDA + UAE MoHAP + Jordanian JFDA + Lebanese MoPH + Iraqi MoH + Syrian MoH + Palestinian MoH + Yemeni SBDMA + Moroccan DMP + Tunisian DPM/ANPM + Algerian ANPP + Roszdravnadzor + Caucasus + Central Asian regulators (Azerbaijan + Georgia + Kazakhstan + Uzbekistan + Turkmenistan + Kyrgyzstan + Tajikistan); ICH guideline implementation in Turkish regulatory practice including ICH Q1-Q14 + E1-E20 + M1-M11 + S1-S12; ICDRA + WHO EURO + IMDRF + IGBA + ISPOR participation.

Q.What's distinctive about Türkiye's pharmaceutical environment as a regional hub?+

Türkiye's pharmaceutical environment is uniquely characterised by: substantial regional pharmaceutical-manufacturing hub status — world's ~6th-largest pharmaceutical-manufacturing exporter + ~3rd-largest medical-device-manufacturing exporter; substantial Turkish-domestic pharmaceutical-manufacturing industry — ~80+ Turkish-domestic manufacturers + ~300+ pharmaceutical-manufacturing facilities including Abdi İbrahim + Bilim İlaç + Deva + Eczacıbaşı + Mustafa Nevzat + Pfizer Türkiye + Sanovel + Sanofi Türkiye + Recordati + Nobel + Polifarma + İlko + Atabay + World Medicine + Centurion; substantial EU Customs Union (1995) operational alignment + EU candidate-country status pharmaceutical-acquis alignment with EMA; PIC/S Member status (since 2018) enabling substantial mutual-recognition; substantial export markets in EU + Arab League + GCC + EMRO + EAEU + Caucasus + Central Asian + sub-Saharan African + Balkans + South-East Asian + Latin American markets; substantial Turkish academic-medical-centre clinical-research capacity (Hacettepe + Istanbul + Ankara + Ege + Marmara + Gazi + Acıbadem + Memorial + American Hospital + Florence Nightingale); distinctive Localisation Policy framework supporting Turkish-domestic manufacturing investment + technology transfer + SGK reimbursement preferential treatment; substantial Türkiye İTS Track-and-Trace System operational since 2008 (one of the world's most mature pharmaceutical track-and-trace systems); Turkish labelling; Climate Zone II coastal + IVa interior stability requirements. For foreign manufacturers, Türkiye is one of the most operationally significant pharmaceutical regulators globally for EMEA + EAEU + Caucasus + Central Asian market access via Turkish-localised production + EU Customs Union pharmaceutical-acquis alignment + PIC/S Member mutual-recognition + WHO PQ programme participation + substantial Turkish-domestic manufacturer export-market support.

Primary sources

Further reading

See TITCK (Turkey) working on a real shop floor

V5 Ultimate ships with the TITCK (Turkey) controls already wired in — audit trail, e-signatures, validation evidence. Free trial, no credit card, onboard in days, not months.