E-DRUG: Update on EC/ACP/WHO Partnership on Pharmaceutical Policies
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Dear E-druggers,
The EC/ACP/WHO Partnership on Pharmaceutical Policies (March 2004-
September 2010) aimed to provide strategic and technical support to 77
African, Caribbean and Pacific Island (ACP) countries for the
development and implementation of essential medicines policies and good
practices. The goal of the programme was to improve the health of the
population of ACP countries by increasing the availability and
affordability of essential medicines and ensuring acceptable standards
of medicines quality, safety and use.
The key principles of the Partnership were to promote country ownership
for planning, implementing and monitoring of pharmaceutical sector;
strengthen capacity of individual countries and promote a subregional
and regional approach.
Among the key achievements of the Partnerships there are the followings:
1. About 40 countries have developed a National Medicines Policy.
2. A comprehensive set of pharmaceutical sector data has been
collected in 68 countries. Another 20 countries have gone through a
comprehensive pharmaceutical assessment, using WHO survey tools on
access, quality and rational use of medicines.
3. Medicines Prices have been evaluated and monitored in over 25
countries and the results were used to advocate for lower taxes on
pharmaceuticals and higher public expenditure.
4. 30 countries have assessed their regulatory system. Over 45
countries received support to strengthen regulation through training,
development of legislation (15 countries), setting up of
pharmacovigilance systems (23 countries), and expanded efforts to combat
counterfeit medicines (33 countries).
5. 40 countries have updated their EMLs and STGs. Studies on
medicine use were carried out in more than 10 countries.
6. 7 sub-regional groups have harmonized policies and regulations
and/or set up schemes for pooled procurement of medicines.
If you are keen on reading more about the work of the Partnership, you
can also visit the web site of the WHO Medicine Programme Coordination
team:
http://www.who.int/medicines/areas/coordination/ecacpwho_partnership/en/
index.html
Dr Gilles Forte
Medicine Programme Coordination
Essential Medicines and Pharmaceutical Policies Department
World Health Organization
forteg@who.int