Thursday, August 26, 2010

[EQ] A Practical Approach to Pharmaceutical Policy

A Practical Approach to Pharmaceutical Policy

Andreas Seiter

June 2010 by World Bank ISBN: 0-8213-8386-8     ISBN-13: 978-0-8213-8386-5     SKU: 18386

 

Book [240p] available online at: http://bit.ly/aROO8L

“………..Pharmaceuticals are an essential component of health care. But for many people in low- and middle-income countries, access to the medicines they need to prevent or treat severe illnesses is limited. Typical problems are lack of availability, costs that exceed the individual’s purchasing power or lack of competent “agents” – health workers that are well trained to give the correct advice on which medicines to take.

Pharmaceutical policy is the part of health policy that aims at addressing these problems and increasing access to safe, effective and affordable medicines for all patients. There are many obstacles against achieving these goals. Such obstacles can arise from financial interests on the side of suppliers and health care providers, who may benefit from charging higher prices and issuing more prescriptions than might be justified from a clinical and economic viewpoint. Or from rogue suppliers trying to introduce low quality or counterfeit drugs into markets with less effective regulation. Also, corruption and ineffective bureaucracies sometimes interfere with well intended programs to offer access to essential medicines for the poor.

This book offers policy makers a hands-on approach, tested in the World Bank’s field work in many countries, for assessing the pharmaceutical sector, recognizing typical “patterns of dysfunction” and developing strategies to quickly deal with the most urgent problems while at the same time building a platform for sustainable long term policy. It offers examples from a variety of low- and middle income countries and provides practical assessment tools for policy makers. The book ends with the author’s outlook on future developments in this complex policy field…………”

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1. Pharmaceutical Policy Goals
Pharmaceutical Policy Framework • Parameters for Monitoring the Effect and Progress of Pharmaceutical Reforms

Chapter 2. Introducing the Stakeholders
Multinational Research-Based Companies • Multinational Generics Companies • National Generics Companies • Brokers • Procurement Agents • Importers and Agents • Wholesalers • Central Medical Stores • Retail Pharmacists and Drug Sellers • Prescribers • Consumers • Public Policy Makers: Legislative and Executive • Regulatory and Executive Agencies • Expert Commissions and Advisers • Civil Society Organizations • International Agencies and Donors • Public Purchasers • Payers • Pharmaceutical Benefit Managers • Consultants

Chapter 3. Patterns of Dysfunction
Inadequate Regulation of Core Pharmaceutical Sector Functions • Lack or Misuse of Funds • Ineffective or Inefficient Procurement • Dysfunctional Supply Chains • Corruption, Abuse of Public Funds, and Unethical Business Practices • Inadequate Incentives for Providers and Policy Makers • Medicine Prices Perceived as Too High • Conflicts between Innovation and Cost Containment • Conflicts between Industrial Policy and Public Health Objectives • Irrational or Inappropriate Use of Drugs • A Tool to Assess the Sector and Diagnose Dysfunctions

Chapter 4. Key Elements of a Successful Pharmaceutical Policy
Ensuring Access to Safe and Effective Drugs through Well-Designed Supply Chains • Using Purchasing Power to Get Value for Money • Managing the Decision Process on Formulary Inclusion • Creating Adequate Information Systems • Ensuring Rational and Cost-Effective Use of Medicines • Securing Adequate Financing and Payment Mechanism for Pharmaceuticals • Reconciling Health Policy and Industrial Policy in the Pharmaceutical Sector • Ensuring Good Governance of the Sector

Chapter 5. Policy Packages to Achieve Strategic Long-Term Goals
Essential Medicines Policy • Generic Drugs Policy • Innovation-Friendly Drugs Policy • Combining Several Policy Models within One Country

Chapter 6. Factors Influencing Policy Implementation
Stakeholder Assessment and Involvement • Strategies to Neutralize Political Opposition

Chapter 7. Pharmaceutical Policy Illustrated in Country Examples
Ghana: National Health Insurance as a A?Game ChangerA? • Lithuania: Dealing with the Effects of the Financial Crisis • China: Improving Social Protection for the Rural Poor • Russian Federation: Affordability and Access to Essential Drugs • Liberia: Building Up after Conflict

Chapter 8. Pharmaceutical Policy Outlook
Regulatory Framework • Drug Prices • Financing and Management of Drug Benefits • Effect on Markets and Industry • General Trend: Convergence toward Models That Work

 

 

http://issuu.com/world.bank.publications/docs/9780821383865/1?zoomed=&zoomPercent=&zoomX=&zoomY=&noteText=&noteX=&noteY=&viewMode=magazine

 

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This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMC Area]

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and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.
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[EQ] Call for expression of interest: Leishmaniasis control programme WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean

Call for expression of interest Consultant/expert roster for the:
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Control Programme

WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean

Available online at: http://www.emro.who.int/PDF/leishmaniasis_roster_8_2010.pdf

In view of strengthening and scaling up its technical support to countries on the control of cutaneous leishmaniasis, the Regional Office would like to expand its expert database to compile a list of potential consultants for current and future assignments in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Fields of expertise should include one or more of the following categories related to cutaneous leishmaniasis.

1. Epidemiology, prevention and control
2. Clinical and laboratory diagnosis
3. Case management and treatment follow-up
4. Entomology and mammology
5. Public health policy development and assessment for harmonization of prevention and control measures.

Applicants are requested to send their CV either in English or French (preferably using the WHO CV template available through the WHO e-Recruitment system at http://www.who.int/employment/vacancies/en) along with a cover letter indicating field(s) of expertise; which period of the year you are most likely available; the minimum time frame to be contacted; and the maximum length of assignment that you could accept.

The documents should be sent to ctd@emro.who.int by 30 September 2010.

 *      *     *

This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMC Area]

“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.
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any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission
in error, please dispose of and delete this transmission.

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[EQ] Will Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Widen Health Inequalities?

Will Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Widen Health Inequalities?


Simon Capewell 1*, Hilary Graham 2

1 Department of Public Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
2 Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, York, United Kingdom


PLoS Medicine | www.plosmedicine.org -  August 24, 2010 | Volume 7 | Issue 8 | e1000320

Available online at: http://bit.ly/afZ8nn


“……….Several high-income countries, including the United Kingdom, are tackling ‘‘health inequalities’’ [1]. In 2009, the various UK governments announced large-scale programmes to screen and treat cardiovascular risk [2]. The respective health ministers stated that the programmes would reduce health inequalities, although opposition parties generally predicted the opposite [3]. The potential effects of any screening policy on health inequalities clearly need to be urgently considered, not least in order to inform current policy development in the UK [4,5] and internationally [6].


The primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is dependent on the effective reduction of the major risk factors, particularly by reducing tobacco use and adopting a healthier diet [2].


However, the substantial excess burden of morbidity and mortality due to CVD in disadvantaged groups raises major challenges. Social gradients in the major cardiovascular risk factors can explain approximately three-quarters of this excess burden; smoking alone can explain more than half [7,8].

Assessing the potential effect of risk factor reductions on socioeconomic inequalities in health is crucial……….”


 *      *     *

This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMC Area]

“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Equity List - Archives - Join/remove: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html
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IMPORTANT: This transmission is for use by the intended
recipient and it may contain privileged, proprietary or
confidential information. If you are not the intended
recipient or a person responsible for delivering this
transmission to the intended recipient, you may not
disclose, copy or distribute this transmission or take
any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission
in error, please dispose of and delete this transmission.

Thank you.