E-DRUG: Essential medicine policies to promote rational/quality use of medicines (8)
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Dear E-druggers
Thanks to all contributors on this subject. I thoroughly agree that we need
to "help WHO take steps to champion an authoritative open access database
of medicines information freely available for use to support
local, relevant, accurate, independent, authoritative and widely used
medicines information resources". Similarly I agree that health
professionals need training in the skilled use of information resources
and that information health professionals are an important part of any
effort to improve prescribing. In the past WHO produced a Model Formulary
based on the model essential medicines list (EML) and WHO still continues
to support countries to develop their own national essential medicines
lists and formularies using evidence-based principles as are used and
demonstrated online for the model EML.
However, a major limiting factor is the lack of funds - in WHO to continue this work - and in countries who donot prioritise this work. Donors are also lacking for this area. WHO's funding is dependent on donors and Member States and may dry up any time. Donald Trump is currently threatening to withdraw USA funding to WHO.
My question to E-Druggers is how may we raise interest and funding in this
area - both to enable WHO to develop a Model Formulary Mark II - and to
support countries to implement properly National EMLs, formularies,
clinical guidelines and other important essential drug policies?
The International Society for Improving the Use of Medicines (ISIUM)
https://www.isium.org/
is an organisation newly established with the aim of promoting best use of medicines. ISIUM recently held an international conference despite having very few funds and I think will provide a wonderful opportunity to renew a movement to promote rational use of medicines.
We have much evidence from past work about how to improve use of
medicines and the time is ripe for putting this evidence into practice.
Unfortunately countries and donors do not prioritise promotion of rational
use of medicines and so many people working in this area work alone with
few resources. By providing an international platform for the exchange of
relevant information (resources, experience, evidence) between all
interested stakeholders - through conferences, meetings, its website, I
believe ISIUM could build the network and knowledge-base that is needed to
empower people and hold governments to account - so leading to improved use
of medicines. I would encourage you all to look at ISIUM's website, join
ISIUM, and give other suggestions about how we might raise funds and
stimulate donor and country interest in this area.
Best Wishes
Kathleen Holloway
Institute of Development Studies, Sussex University, UK
Email: kaholloway54@gmail.com