[e-drug] WHO/EDM-UNICEF Technical Briefing No 7, March 2004

E-drug: WHO/EDM-UNICEF Technical Briefing No 7, March 2004
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E-drug: WHO/EDM-UNICEF Technical Briefing Seminar No 7
Geneva, 15 - 19 March 2004

Dear All,

Please find below the first formal announcement of a one-week
Technical Briefing Seminar which the WHO Department of Essential
Drugs and Medicines Policy will organize in Geneva in March 2004 in
collaboration with UNICEF Supply Division, Copenhagen. Similar
briefing seminars have been held annually since 1998. Next year's
programme, as previously, will include updates on the Global Fund,
the UN pre-qualification project, the procedures for updating and
disseminating the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, the
web-based Essential Medicines Library, Rational Use of Medicines,
and the implications of international trade agreements. Topics
covered will be subject to change.

This years Seminar was heavily oversubscribed and in consequence,
it has been decided to hold another one rather earlier in 2004.

As previously, participation at the seminar is free of charge but
participants will have to arrange for their own travel, board and
lodging. Requests for application forms can be sent to Mrs A.
Wilberforce, WHO/EDM/PAR, 1211 Geneva, fax 41-22-7914167, or
e-mail wilberforcea@who.int. The WHO Department of Essential
Drugs and Medicines Policy is not able to financially support or fund
any participants. Further details are below.

Dr Hans V. Hogerzeil MD, PhD, FRCP (Edin)
Coordinator for Policy, Access and Rational Use
Department of Essential Drugs and Medicines Policy
World Health Organization, 1211 Geneva 27
Tel: 41.22.791.3528, Fax: 41.22.791.4167

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WHO Technical Briefing Seminar for international and national staff
active in pharmaceutical support programmes

Organized by:
      WHO Department of Essential Drugs and Medicines Policy
     (WHO/EDM), in collaboration with UNICEF Supply Division,
     Copenhagen
Venue: WHO Headquarters, Geneva, Salle G (8th floor)
Dates: 15 - 19 March 2004

Target audience:
Technical advisers and field staff of WHO, UNICEF, other UN and
bilateral agencies, governmental and non-governmental organizations
active in pharmaceutical and health sector reform programmes in
developing countries and academics involved in teaching about public
health aspects of medicines.

Meeting objectives:
By the end of the programme, participants will:
1. have a general understanding of the most common problems in the
pharmaceutical sector in developing countries;
2. have a general understanding of how WHO and the UNICEF
Supply Division support developing countries in strengthening the
pharmaceutical sector;
3. appreciate the importance of national drug policies as the best
approach to make essential drugs of good quality available to all who
need them, and ensure the rational use of drugs;
4. be aware of ways to strengthen collaboration with WHO and other
organizations supporting the pharmaceutical sector in developing
countries; and,
5. understand the impact of international agreements on
pharmaceuticals.

Structure of sessions:
1. Presentation (20-30 minutes) of main problems at country level,
key approaches/ strategies, practical aspects of assistance to
Member States, and key documents
2. 30 minues of small group discussion on the basis of 3-4 discussion
points
3. Presentations by group - discussion

Resource persons:
Most presentations and discussions will be led by senior staff
members of the WHO Department of Essential Drugs and Medicines
Policy and one session by staff of UNICEF. Time has been reserved
for an optional session and for individual appointments with WHO
staff.

Applications:
Participation at the Technical Briefing Seminar is by application and
selection. It is free of charge; but participants will have to arrange for
their own travel, board and lodging. WHO/EDM is not in a position to
financially support applicants.

Requests for application forms can be sent to Mrs A. Wilberforce,
WHO/EDM/PAR, 1211 Geneva, Fax: 41.22.791.4167, or e-mail
wilberforcea@who.int. Applicants will be requested to fill in an
application form giving contact details and an explanation as to why
they consider themselves a good candidate for selection. Those
applicants who are not able to attend the full four and a half days are
strongly discouraged from applying. Certificates of attendance will
only be presented to those participants who complete the full course.

Application forms will be accepted until 10 January 2004 and
admission to the seminar will be confirmed by 31 January 2004.

Provisional Outline of programme
(Resource persons, topics and exact time-table subject to change)

Monday 15 March 2004
  Registration
  Introduction
  Welcome
  Introductory presentation
  Introduction of participants: Gallery of experts
  25 Years of Essential Drugs-Impact & Challenges
  Selection of Essential Medicines WHO Model List of
  Essential Medicines: Update 2004
  Evidence-based approach
  Essential Medicines Library: web-based demonstration
  National Medicines Policies
  Indicators of pharmaceutical situations

Tuesday 16 March
What is access?
  Access to essential medicines
  Access to HIV/AIDS medicines
  Access to antimalarial medicines
  Access to antituberculosis medicines

Procurement and supply
  Drug procurement, supply and distribution, (UNICEF)
Evening Joint dinner in the old town of Geneva

Wednesday 17 March
What is quality?
  Drug regulation and quality assurancance
  WHO normative functions in the field of pharmaceuticals
  Pre-qualification of antiretroviral, antimalarial and anti-TB drugs
  Development of regulatory capacity at country level
Drug Prices and Financing
  Differential Pricing
  WHO/HAI Price Survey Methodology
  Generic Policies

Thursday 18 March
What is rational drug use?
  Pharmacovigilance
  Promoting rational drug use
Country programmes
  Country programmes
  Optional extra session, as decided by the participants
Evening: Reception

Friday 19 March
Global issues
  Impact of globalisation, international trade agreements
  Global medicines funds, International coordination
12.30 Closure

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