The State Agency of Medicines is a Regulatory Authority under a direct jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health The objective of the Agency is ensuring availability of efficient, safe and qualitative medicines to the Latvian population. The State Agency of Medicines was established on 9 October 1996 basing on the Cabinet Order No 403 „On Non-profit Joint Stock Company „State Agency of Medicines””. On 11 October 2004 according to Chapter 8, part 1 of the Law on Public Agencies the Cabinet reorganised a non-profit joint stock company „State Agency of Medicines”. Thus, the State Agency of Medicines became a public agency.