Ammon News - AMMONNEWS — Jordan Food and Drug Administration Director General Dr. Hayel Obaidat and U.S. Embassy Economic Counselor Joyce Wong presided over the opening ceremony of the Combating Counterfeit Medicines Workshop today at the Intercontinental Amman Hotel.

The two-day workshop, funded by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in association with the Jordan Food and Drug Administration, educated law enforcement officials, judges and those in the pharmaceutical industry on the role of regulatory and enforcement agencies in combating counterfeit drugs.

In her remarks at the opening ceremony, Economic Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Amman Ms. Joyce Wong welcomed and commended the hard work of Jordanian government officials, including judges, prosecutors, and members of the Jordan Food and Drug Administration, the Ministry of Health, Jordan Customs, and the Public Security Directorate, in promoting the health and safety of everyone residing in Jordan.

Also representing the United States were Michael Smith from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Robert Sherman from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, John Zacharia from the U.S. Department of Justice, and Dr. Layla Batarseh, Director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Middle East and North Africa Office at the U.S. Embassy.