Improving access to essential medicines
Overview
Essential medicines can save lives, reduce suffering and improve health. But to do so, they must be available and affordable, of good quality and properly used. Access to essential medicines of assured quality still poses problems for countries in the Western Pacific Region. This is due to rising prices of new medicines; persisting shortages and stock-outs; and increasing numbers of substandard and falsified medical products.
WHO Western Pacific Regional Office’s work to improve access to essential medicines is centred around three components:
- Developing policy and strengthening pharmaceutical systems to improve access to medicines.
- Strengthening national regulatory systems.
- Improving rational selection and use of medicines.
The first component involves supporting countries to develop medicines policies and strengthen pharmaceutical systems for evidence-based selection, procurement and supply management, financing, price control, stewardship and rational use. It also includes support to countries to adopt and implement international norms and standards and ensuring access to medicines in light of intellectual property regimes and international trade agreements.
The second component involves support for regulations and quality assurance as well as monitoring of substandard and falsified medicines.
The third component on rational selection and use of medicines addresses the issues of evidence-based selection of essential medicines and rational use of medicines (including antibiotics).
Key facts
- In 2007, 15 countries in the Region reported having developed a National Medicines Policy.
