E-DRUG: New WHO Good Governance for Medicines publications
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Dear e-druggers,
It is with great pleasure that I share with you two new documents recently published by WHO and related to the Good Governance for Medicines (GGM) programme:
* The 2010 Progress Report for the Good Governance for Medicines programme;
* A Compilation of best practices from GGM countries, published as a background document to the WHO World Health Report 2010
This year's progress report focuses on achievements in countries. Interest in the GGM programme has been higher than anticipated and momentum for change is building in the implementing countries. The country successes are quite diverse and include lower costs for quality medicine procurement, national pharmaceutical laws and regulations revised, web-based pharmaceutical services (e.g. registration, licensing) and improved management of conflict of interest. The wealth of experience in the 26 GGM countries also helped us draw a number of "lessons learnt" including the need to have national champions to enhance success, that legislative reforms should go together with promotion of integrity and that collaboration with key stakeholders is essential. A number of new country publications are also now available on the GGM web site.
The 2010 GGM Progress Report is available in English, French and Spanish
http://www.who.int/medicines/areas/policy/goodgovernance/2010progress_report/en/index.html (the Arabic version is on its way).
It is also heartening to see that WHO's World Health Report for this year, focusing on health systems financing, refers several times to corruption as a source of inefficiency. It also describes the work of the GGM programme. The report was launched together with a series of Background Papers. One of these Background Papers is related to the GGM country efforts "WHO Good Governance for Medicines programme: an innovative approach to prevent corruption in the pharmaceutical sector - Compilation of country case studies and best practices" (Background Paper n°25 and is available
http://www.who.int/healthsystems/topics/financing/healthreport/25GGM.pdf
This background paper gives a brief description of activities in a number of GGM countries and focuses mainly on interventions that led to changes and improvements in the pharmaceutical sector. It also offers an in-depth analysis on "best practices" and lessons learnt".
These achievements would not have been possible without the contributions of many of you and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you again for your unfailing collaboration.
With warm greetings,
Guitelle
Dr. Guitelle Baghdadi-Sabeti, Pharm D., MPH
Manager
Good Governance for Medicines programme
Essential Medicines and Pharmaceutical Policies (EMP)
World Health Organization, Geneva
tel + 41 22 7912989 / fax + 41 22 7914730
http://www.who.int/medicines/ggm
baghdadig@who.int