Transcript Essential medicines

Essential medicines:
the first generation
Monday 30 May 2011, Chateau de Penthes, Geneva
Margaretha Helling Borda
(former Director WHO Action Programme on
Essential Drugs)
In the 1970’s - serious problems and
acute situations…
Letter to WHO in 1974 :
 -- « our latest indent is 105 % more expensive
than last year’s. I need hardly say that this
makes complete nonsense of our financial
estimates , and my Government cannot, in the
near future, double the money allocated to
medicines »
Ebrahim Samba, Chief Medical Offcier MOH, Gambia –
later Regional Director, AFRO
Birth of Essential Drugs Concept (EDC)
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Complaints in the early seventies:
No links between drugs and health needs
No access to most essential drugs
Rising costs of pharmaceuticals
Uneven rural-urban distribution
Protests against industry marketing practice
No comprehensive NDP to support PHC etc.
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Against this background birth of EDC
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M. Helling Borda October 2002 - 25 years
anniversary
3
Major events in the 1970’s
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1974
DPM unit established
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1975
28th World Health Assembly,
- DG’s Report on drugs followed
by Resolution WHA28.66
requesting advise on selection, procurement, at
reasonable cost, of essential drugs of established quality
corresponding to national needs
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WHO entered the era of essential medicines
WHO Model List of Essential Drugs
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1976: two WHO consultants,
clinical pharmacologists,
prepared working document
(including a preliminary draft list).
Document circulated for comments
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1977: WHO Expert Committee on
the Selection of Essential Drugs:
WHO, Geneva, 17 – 21 Oct.1977
incl. model list and outline for a programme
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TRS 615 (36 pages) became an instant WHO
best seller --and a vital tool for public health
After publication of first EDL- what ?
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1977: Situation analyses in Asia six countriessix-weeks
1978: WHO meetings in SEARO and WPRO
1978: 31st WHA – Technical discussions on:
Drug Policies with its technical and
administrative components
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1978: Res. WHA 31.32 urging countries
to establish ED programme; raises the issue of
a WHO marketing code; and proposes
establishment of an Action Programme on
Essential Drugs
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1978: WHO/Unicef meeting on PHC in Alma Ata
The time around the start of the Action
Programme on Essential Drugs …
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1979: The Selection of Essential Drugs revised –
2nd Expert Committee (dosage forms included)
1979: 32nd WHA calls for the establishment of
an administrative structure for the
Action Programme on Essential Drugs
1981: Establishment of an Administrative Unit
for Action Programme on Essential
Drugs with the acronym DAP (staff of 4)
On the way to action…and consolidation
1981: WHA-34 adopts Global Strategy on Health for All by
the year 2000 – availability of essential drugs is one of
eight major elements in HFA
1981: IFPMA voluntary marketing code
1981: Health Action International (HAI) founded
1982: Third Expert Cttee emphasis on «The use of EDs»
1982: WHA-35 adopts a plan of action for APED
1983: DAP placed in office of Director-General
1984: WHA-37 calls for meeting on rational use of drugs
1985: Nairobi Conference on Rational Use of Drugs broadens
the scope of essential drugs policies
1986: WHA-39 accepts Revised Drug Strategy