[e-drug] Call for experts: review of WHO policies on controlled medicines

e-drug
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E-DRUG: Call for experts to assist with the review of the WHO guidance for ensuring balance in national policies on controlled medicines
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dear E-druggers,

WHO remains committed to ensuring safe access to controlled medicines, in particular medicines for the treatment of pain and palliative care. In this respect, WHO has initiated the process of revising its issued guidance documents on pain management.

As part of an update of the 2011 WHO document "Ensuring balance in national policies on controlled substances: Guidance for availability and accessibility of controlled medicines", the Division of Medicines, Vaccines, and Health Products is seeking experts to support the development of WHO guidance on national policies for safe and equitable access to controlled medicines. This guidance aims to assist policy-makers in countries in the development and implementation of balanced policies that promote legal access to controlled medicines whilst reducing their diversion and misuse. More information on the development of these guidelines can be found here: https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/27-08-2019-who-revision-of-pain-management-guidelines

In order to ensure that the process of recruitment of experts is comprehensive and transparent, WHO has issued an open call for proposals for support in the development of this policy guidance. Proposals for collaboration are being accepted from individuals and groups of experts with senior-level expertise in national and/or international policies for access to medicines, pain management, palliative care, or other field closely related to issues of controlled substances to contribute to the development of this guidance. Applicants should have a strong demonstrated understanding of the political and technical context of ensuring balance to access to controlled medicines whilst preventing associated harms in low and middle-income countries.

Additional information on the application process and the profiles of expertise requested can be found online for proposals from individuals (https://www.ungm.org/Public/Notice/95226) and proposals from groups of experts (https://www.ungm.org/Public/Notice/96210).

The deadline for proposals is 21 September 2019. Any queries on the application process may be directed to Dilkushi Poovendran (poovendrand@who.int<mailto:poovendrand@who.int>).
WHO looks forward to receiving proposals for this important work.

Thank you.

Dr Gilles Forte
Coordinator
Office of the Assistant Director General
Access to Medicines, Vaccines and Pharmaceuticals (MVP)
World Health Organization
Geneva, Switzerland

Office: +41 (0)22 791 3617
Mobile: +41 (0)79 2493544
Email: forteg@who.int<mailto:forteg@who.int>
Web: http://www.who.int/medicines/en/
Follow WHO on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram

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(traduction du message posté aujourd'hui sur e-drug)

Appel à experts pour aider à la révision des directives de l'OMS visant à assurer un équilibre entre les politiques nationales en matière de médicaments contrôlés
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chers e-médiens

L'OMS reste déterminée à garantir un accès sécurisé aux médicaments sous contrôle, en particulier aux médicaments pour le traitement de la douleur et les soins palliatifs. À cet égard, l’OMS a entamé le processus de révision de ses documents d’orientation sur la gestion de la douleur.

Dans le cadre de la mise à jour du document de l'OMS de 2011 intitulé "Assurer l'équilibre des politiques nationales en matière de substances contrôlées: Guide pour la disponibilité et l'accessibilité des médicaments contrôlés", la Division des médicaments, des vaccins et des produits de santé recherche des experts pour soutenir l'élaboration de directives de l'OMS sur les politiques nationales pour un accès sûr et équitable aux médicaments sous contrôle. Ces directives ont pour but d’aider les décideurs des pays à élaborer et à mettre en œuvre des politiques équilibrées qui favorisent l’accès légal aux médicaments sous contrôle tout en réduisant leur détournement et leur mauvaise utilisation. Vous trouverez plus d’informations sur l’élaboration de ces directives à l’adresse suivante: https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/27-08-2019-who-revision-of-pain-management-guidelines

Afin de veiller à ce que le processus de recrutement des experts soit complet et transparent, l’OMS a lancé un appel ouvert à propositions en vue de l’aide à l’élaboration de ces orientations. Les propositions de collaboration émanant d’individus et de groupes d’experts possédant une expertise de haut niveau en matière de politiques nationales et / ou internationales relatives à l’accès aux médicaments, à la gestion de la douleur, aux soins palliatifs ou à un autre domaine étroitement lié aux substances contrôlées contribuent au développement de cette orientation. Les candidats doivent avoir une solide compréhension du contexte politique et technique consistant à garantir un accès équilibré à des médicaments sous contrôle tout en prévenant les dommages qui en découlent dans les pays à revenu faible ou intermédiaire.

Des informations supplémentaires sur le processus de candidature et les profils d'expertise demandés sont disponibles en ligne pour les propositions de particuliers (https://www.ungm.org/Public/Notice/95226) et les propositions de groupes d'experts (https://www.ungm.org/Public/Notice/96210).

La date limite de soumission des propositions est le 21 septembre 2019. Toute question relative au processus de candidature peut être adressée à Dilkushi Poovendran (poovendrand@who.int <mailto: poovendrand@who.int>).
L'OMS attend avec intérêt de recevoir des propositions pour cet important travail.

Je vous remercie.

Dr Gilles Forte
Coordinator
Office of the Assistant Director General
Access to Medicines, Vaccines and Pharmaceuticals (MVP)
World Health Organization
Geneva, Switzerland

Office: +41 (0)22 791 3617
Mobile: +41 (0)79 2493544
Email: forteg@who.int<mailto:forteg@who.int>
Web: http://www.who.int/medicines/en/
Follow WHO on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram

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E-DRUG: Call for experts: review of WHO policies on controlled medicines (2)
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Dear E-druggers,

Most useful, and I was struck by the phrase "In order to ensure that
the process of recruitment of experts is comprehensive and transparent
..."

There is some irony given that WTO has consistently been opaque with
regard to the selection and appointment of members of the Essential
Medicines Committee, and others.

In 2014 I wrote in the BMJ regarding the EML: 'We are told only that
the committee is made up of experts, appointed by the WHO director
general, who meet every two years to review applications with expert
assessors and decide which medicines are added or deleted. Just try
to find out from the WHO website who the committee members are before
a committee meeting ”as opposed to when the meeting report is
published” let alone their qualifications, fitness for the role, or
conflicts of interest. Why is there never a call for nominations to
the committee? The list of current members smacks of croneyism, the
appointments process is opaque, and the decisions lack clarity.
Transparency is its own reward; WHO should, indeed, try leading by
example"' *

As best I can determine, nothing has changed.

* Welch C, The Composition of WHO's Expert Committee on Essential
Medicines Needs More Scrutiny (2014) 349 BMJ g5211

regards

Craig Welch
craig@lwchealth.org