E-DRUG: WHO Good Governance for Medicines Model Framework 2012 available for public comment
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The World Health Report 2010 identifies 10 leading causes of health system inefficiency, 4 of which are related to medicines: prices, quality, use and waste.
Pharmaceutical public system inefficiencies, unethical practices and corruption contribute to unnecessary expenditure on medicines and expose populations to substandard or counterfeit medicines. In most countries, expenditure on pharmaceuticals comprises a large proportion of total health expenditure. Effective management and good governance in the pharmaceutical sector is therefore an essential element to improve efficiency and make a sustainable contribution to health systems strengthening and universal health coverage. Growing numbers of public health officials in Ministries of Health, National Medicines Regulatory Authorities and National Procurement Departments/Centers recognize the need for their institutions and personnel to work in more transparent and accountable environments an in accordance with ethical professional practices.
36 countries have participated in the Good Governance for Medicines Programme (GGM) applying the GGM principles of understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the country's pharmaceutical system and developing and applying appropriate interventions. A recent evaluation of the programme
available at: www.who.int/medicines/areas/governance/en
confirmed the need for strong support to countries for strengthening governance in the pharmaceutical sector.
To further support country efforts to implement good governance in the pharmaceutical sector, WHO has published the Good Governance for Medicines Model Framework. The model framework is a guideline that can be adapted by countries according to their needs. It proposes a combination of discipline-based and values-based strategies to countries for effective, efficient, ethical, transparent and accountable management of pharmaceutical systems. The first edition of the framework was published in 2008 and then revised by experts and country representatives building on the experiences of work in the Good Governance for Medicines Programme.
The 2012 version is now available at
www.who.int/medicines/areas/policy/goodgovernance/
for public comment until 15 October 2013.
Deirdre Dimancesco
Technical Officer
Medicines Policy, Governance and Information
Department of Essential Medicines and Health Products
World Health Organization
20 Ave Appia, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
+41 22 791 4560
www.who.int/medicines
"DIMANCESCO, Deirdre" <dimancescod@who.int>