E-DRUG: ECONMED a bilingual listserv on economic and legal regulation of pharmaceutical products from the Americas region
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ECONMED is a bilingual listserv (ESP/ENG) on issues and subjects
related to the economic and legal regulation of pharmaceutical products
managed and moderated by the Drugs and Health Technologies Unit(MT)
within Health Systems Based on Primary Care (HSS) area of the Pan
American Health Organization (PAHO). It constitutes yet another
expression of both effort of the Unit, and by extension of the
Organization, to contribute both to the visibility of those factors
which shape of access medical products and to enhance the information
flow and exchange among interested health professionals from member
Staes. The setting up of ECONMED was one of the demands agreed upon the
first international seminar on Economic Regulation of medicines
organized jointly between PAHO and Brazil's National Health Surveillance
Agency (ANVISA) in March 2009. Its establishment seeks to counter one of
the principal features of the pharmaceutical markets both at the
regional and global levels: the deficit of reliable, impartial and
reliable , on drugs pricing and other essential elements for the
planning, design and execution of efficient and effective pharmaceutical
policies.
ECONMED is, for the time being, a tool reserved exclusively for public
officials within the health sector (ministries, research centers,
associated institutions..) although the participation of other actors is
encouraged: Intellectual Property Institutes, international
agencies.Currently, nearly 190 people, participate in ECONMED,
distributed between Ministries of Health, Regulatory Authorities and
other institutions in 28 countries, mostly in the Americas. One of the
main goals of ECONMED is to make it known, within the region and beyond
what and how is being done in terms of pharmaceutical policies and
programs. ECONMED tries to build up opportunities for dialogue and
exchange between national actors at the regional and sub regional scale.
It is intended to facilitate the conditions facilitate sharing of
experiences and disseminations of materials which are originated or
centered on the health situation of the Americas region, especially in
the legal and economic regulation of drugs and other medical products,
through exchange and dissemination of best practices, scientific papers,
and upcoming activities. Demands for information between members
circulate periodically and are dealt confidentially and strictly limited
to the area of the list when is material non-suitable for publication in
the Web page (prices, litigations etc ..) where all ECONMED
communications can be found. In the mid-term future ECONMED pretends
to contribute to the creation of collaborative networks in the Americas
Region, and beyond, supporting the effort behind the nascent
Regional Platform on Innovation, Access and Pharmaceutical Policies as
well as the consolidation of a Regional Bank on Pricing data It is, in
short, an integrating element of efforts and processes. Although the
list is chiefly focused on what is produced in or about the Americas, it
is open to contributions from other parts of the globe which the
moderators deem valuable.
If more information was needed please to visit the ECONMED webpage at
www.paho.org/econmed all materials distributed in recent months are
accessible (both in EN/ES). If your were interested in participating
in the list and believe that your institution could contribute to the
discussions we encourage to contact us at the following address
econmed@listserv.paho.org with your name, current position and field of
activity of the institution you work with. Every request will be
examined and considered before being approved or ruled out.
Thank you.
Vidal, Mr. Jaume (WDC)
vidaljau@paho.org