# \[e-drug\] Drug Pricing in South Africa **URL:** \ **Category:** e-drug\ **Created:** [March 1, 2001, 7:18pm UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-drug-pricing-in-south-africa/10539 "2001-03-01T19:18:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@andy](https://talk.edrugplus.org/u/andy)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2001, 7:18pm UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-drug-pricing-in-south-africa/10539/1 "2001-03-01T19:18:33Z")
E-DRUG: Drug Pricing in South Africa ------------------------------------ [crossposted from DRUGINFO with thanks. For the non-south Africans: the Health System Trust issues a report on the health situation in South Africa. This year drug prices are analyzed in one of its chapters. Well done, Andy! WB] Hi all Today the Health Systems Trust's annual publication, the South African Health Review 2000, was launched in Johannesburg. This year I contributed, together with my colleague Thulani Matsebula from the Wits Centre for Health Policy, a chapter on Drug Pricing. An html version can be viewed at: [http://www.hst.org.za/sahr/2000/chapter9.htm](http://www.hst.org.za/sahr/2000/chapter9.htm) In addition, it is available as a .pdf file (276kB) at ftp://ftp.hst.org.za/pubs/Sahr/2000/chapter9.pdf, with the references as a separate file ([http://www.hst.org.za/sahr/2000/refs.htm#Chapter](http://www.hst.org.za/sahr/2000/refs.htm#Chapter) 9) A summary brief issued at the launch is also available at: [http://www.hst.org.za/sahr/2000/summaries/drug.htm](http://www.hst.org.za/sahr/2000/summaries/drug.htm) The abstracts reads as follows: "Improving access to necessary drugs requires attention to all four component parts of the access equation � ensuring rational selection, providing sustainable financing and efficient systems to distribute and use the drugs but also making sure that prices are affordable. However, comparing drugs prices across countries and health systems is not always easy. Methodological pitfalls abound, and have in the past ensnared the South African Ministry of Health. The National Drug Policy contains a variety of proposed strategies to reduce the price of medicines in South Africa. This chapter considers the complex issue of drug pricing, the policy options outlined and available, and provides recommendations on steps that will advance the implementation of such policies". The chapter calls for : "\* More detailed data on price trends in both the private and public sectors \* More analysis of the impacts of policy decisions, with emphasis on indicators of equity, affordability and availability \* Finality on those policy choices which seem to hold clear advantages (such as fixed professional fees and non-discriminatory exit pricing based on volume) \* Finality on the legal struggle to introduce generic substitution, to regulate marketing practices and to exploit the safeguards provided by the TRIPS Agreement \* Consideration of regional options, including bulk purchasing across the SADC region". It concludes that: "Crucial to the success of these options will be strengthening of the national departments responsible, the Directorate: Pharmaceutical Programmes and Planning (and in particular the sub-directorate of Medical Stores and Systems, which provides the secretariat to COMED) and the Directorate: Medicines Administration (the secretariat to the Medicines Control Council). Significant strengthening of the inspectorate functions of the MCC will also be necessary if the potential pitfalls of parallel trade and compulsory licensing are to be avoided. Strengthening the entire system will ensure that the populace is not exposed to counterfeit and sub-standard medicines and will demonstrate that such exposure is not an inevitable consequence of the policy choices outlined in this chapter. In this regard, South Africa remains a test case, one watched closely by the international community". I would welcome any comments on the chapter from list participants, or any updates on what is by now a document 4 months out of date! regards Andy