Healthy Skepticism Library item: 3133

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Pharmaceutical policies for the Third World--whose responsibility.
Lancet 1983 Jul 16; 2:(8342):144

Abstract:

(Limited to parts of article dealing with promotion.) Last year Health Action International presented a draft code on pharmaceutical promotion. In 1981 the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations produced its own code but it paid little heed to monitoring and enforcement.

PIP: Several developing countries, such as Bangladesh, Cuba, India, and Mozambique, are currently formulating national pharmaceutical policies to reduce expenditures on drugs while increasing their availability to those in greatest need. 5 components of such national policies have been identified: 1) elimination of ineffective and inappropriate preparations through concentrating on a selection such as the World Health Organization’s 200 “basic and essential drugs”, coupled with national drug pricing policies that discriminate between essential drugs and non-essential or luxury drugs; 2) public systems of drug distribution which would reduce costs to the consumer; 3) importation of the limited number of drugs distributed through the public system in bulk, which might reduce costs by 20-25%; 4) use of generic rather than brand name drugs; and 5) establishment of domestic pharmaceutical industries within developing countries to encourage research into drugs for local health problems, reduce use of foreign exchange to import drugs, and increase local self-reliance in dealing with disease. In November 1982, Health Action International, a coordinating body for more than 50 publish interest groups seeking to promote rational use of pharmaceuticals, presented a draft internationl code on pharmaceuticals to the UN Conference on Trade and Development. A voluntary code produced in 1981 by the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Associations paid little attention to monitoring and enforcement. Little progress has been made, and the need for sensible policy making at the international and national levels has long been apparent.

Keywords:
*editorial/developing countries/ HAI/ Health Action International/ IFPMA/ International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations/ regulation of promotion/consumer groups/REGULATION, CODES, GUIDELINES: INDUSTRY SELF-REGULATION/REGULATION, CODES, GUIDELINES: INTERNATIONAL CODES Developing Countries* Health Policy Pharmaceutical Services* Policy Making*