[e-drug] DFID factsheet on Access to (Essential) Medicines

e-drug
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E-DRUG: DFID factsheet on Access to (Essential) Medicines
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Your E-drug moderator stumbled over this new (2006) DFID factsheet on Access to Medicines:

http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/atm-factsheet0106.pdf

The factsheet also mentions 2 DFID position papers:

Increasing access to essential medicines in the developing world: UK
Government policy and plans. DFID June 2004
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Pubs/files/accessmedicines.pdf

Increasing people’s access to essential medicines in developing countries: a
framework for good practice in the pharmaceutical industry. DFID March 2005
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/dfid-private-sector.pdf

Some highlights from the new factsheet:

Access to medicines

Millennium Development Goal 8: A global partnership for development

Target 17: In co-operation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to
affordable, essential drugs in developing countries

Key messages

• Properly used, essential medicines save lives, reduce suffering and improve health.
• By improving access to essential medicines and vaccines, up to 10.5 million lives could be saved every year worldwide: 4 million in Africa and South-East Asia alone.
• Concerted action is needed to ensure fair and sustainable financing,
affordable prices, reliable health and supply systems, and the rational use of medicines. Efforts are also needed to develop new vaccines, drugs and other health technologies that meet developing country needs.
• This requires partnership between developing country governments and
healthcare providers, donors, international agencies, non-governmental
organisations, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and the broader
private sector, as well as consumers and health researchers.

Key facts and figures

• A third of the world’s people lack access to the medicines they need – rising to 50% in parts of Asia and Africa.
• Up to 50% of medicines are inappropriately prescribed, dispensed or sold,
leading to wasted resources and potentially resulting in patient harm.
• Patients improperly use up to 50% of medicines, resulting in reduced
treatment efficacy and potentially leading to resistance.
• In developing countries, medicines account for 60% - 90% of household
expenditures on health. Inappropriate prescription, high prices, low quality and improper use mean that the poor often receive little health benefit for their spending on drugs.

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E-DRUG: Dilemma of missing essential drugs in Pakistan
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Dear E-Druggers

I would like to point out the two basic pharmaceutical issues raised at the 13th International Pharmaceutical conference and exhibition held on 16-19th February, 2006.

One was on the paper presentation the topic by me:

ORPHAN DRUGS: THE DILEMMA OF MISSING ESSENTIAL DRUGS OF PAKISTAN
(orphandrugsofpakistan@yahoo.com)

The other one:

DRUG PRICES IN GLOBALIZED WORLD by Tuqeer Mustafa (tauqeer@thenetwork.org.pk)

Motivating participants on reviewing the drug pricing policies in the country and how they are affected by Globalization phenomena.

As a result of the discussion on the two issues with the participants it was taken into account that more and more related professionals should have awareness on the issue as the concerns are thier because these are the problems people face every day. Simultaneously the experiences from the other countries especially neighbouring countries will be very useful to built the grounds for advocacy campaigns from the people. The methods of Drug pricing and the pricing formula are the main areas, which are needed for sharing by these young participants.

I presented my study on the missing essential drugs of Pakistan by the title of ORPHAN DRUGS: THE DILEMMA OF MISSING ESSENTIAL DRUGS OF PAKISTAN

The response from the pharmacists working in the hospitals through out the country was overwhelming. There is need of organized and well communicated network to keep the pharmacists up-to-date in this respect and to join hand to find ways of helping out our poor patients.

The following e-mail address was communicated to the participants for submission of their concerns and queries regarding the access problems they face for their patients.

orphandrugsofpakistan@yahoo.com

The further steps to it would include:

1. Devising of the structure for importing these drugs by the public sector hospitals

2. Establishment of orphan drug act so that the availability of essential drugs as well drugs to be used in the treatment of rare diseases is states responsibility by law.

3. Pressurizing Pharma sector especially local industry to make these drugs available.

4. Developing interests of research students in this area so they may respond to the needs of people of Pakistan.

5. Establishing network for research grants in this area

6. To collect the feed back on access to essential drugs from all over the country.

The mailing list developed over the e-mail address :
orphandrugsofpakistan@yahoo.com will help us a lot in achieving our goals.

E-druggers are invited to forward this message to all they know who could help and contribute.

Best Regards

Huma Nouman
Clinical Pharmacist
The Children's Hospital
Lahore-Pakistan
huma_rasheed@hotmail.com