E-DRUG: Assessment of MSF document 'Untangling the web'
---------------------------------------------------------
Dear all,
After 8 editions and 4 years of publication, it is time for us to evaluate
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) document 'Untangling the web of price
reductions, a pricing guide for the purchase of ARVs for developing
countries' ( last edition (8th), June 2005, is available on MSF web site
http://www.accessmed-Msf.org/documents/untanglingtheweb%208.pdf )
The report was first published by MSF in October 2001 in response to the
lack of transparent and reliable information about prices of
antiretrovirals (ARVs) on the international market. The purpose of this
document is to provide information on prices that will help purchasers make
informed decisions when buying ARVs.
At the time MSF guide appeared, there were few publications addressing the
issue of drug prices - only the document 'Sources and Prices of Selected
Medicines and Diagnostics for People Living with HIV/AID' which was first
published in 1999 by WHO/UNICEF/UNAIDS. Since 2003'Untangling the web' is
published as an Annex of this document.
We would like to analyze users' perceptions and needs regarding 'Untangling
the web', and evaluate if we need to make some major changes for the next
edition. In addition, since there are today more initiatives giving
information on prices than there were in 2001, this evaluation should
permit us to weigh the importance and the pertinence of 'Untangling'.
To do so, we prepared a very simple questionnaire, with 20 questions, that
should help us improve the MSF document. We would appreciate if you could
dedicate five minutes of your time to answer it and return it to Celine
Derche (Celine.DERCHE@msf.org) by September 30th. Should you have any
questions, do not hesitate to contact us.
Please find the questionnaire on the link above:
http://www.accessmed-msf.org/documents/EN-Untangling%20assessment.doc
Best regards
Celine Derche
Fernando Pascual Martinez
Jacques Pinel
Karim Laouabdia
Celine.DERCHE@msf.org
Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines
Medecins Sans Frontieres
Fernando.PASCUAL@geneva.msf.org