Overview of Drug Policy Issues

1
Overview of Drug Policy Issues

• Richard Laing (BUSPH)

2
History of National Drug Policies

• 1985 Nairobi Conference of Experts on rational
  Use of Drugs
• 1987 Working group of Experts to draft guidelines
  for NDPs
• 1988 Guidelines for NDPs released
• 1995 Expert Committee on NDPs met report issued
• 1999-2001 New Guidelines being developed

3
Background to NDPs

• Need for common framework to coordinate many
  different actors in the pharmaceutical field
• These include regulators (quality, safety and
  efficacy), producers (local international),
  users (prescribers consumers), health planners
  managers, health finance authorities and
  researchers.
• Each have valid interests in the field which may
  be contradictory or supportive
• Involves both public private sectors

4
Components of a NDP

• Legislation, Regulation and Guidelines
• Selection of Drugs
• Supply (incl. procurement production issues)
• Quality Assurance
• Rational Drug Use
• Economic Strategies for Drugs
• Monitoring Evaluation of NDPs
• Research
• Human Resources Development
• Technical Cooperation among Countries

5
Overview of Components

• Each component has a crucial part in the overall
  policy!
• Emphasizing one component at the expense of
  others, weakens the entire policy
• Many different actors are involved. Some are
  outside MoH, some outside government, some
  outside country
• Means that NDP planners need to be aware, though
  not expert, in all areas!

6
Process for Establishing and Implementing NDP

• 1. Set priorities
• 2. Formulate a NDP
• - Organize process
• - Identify and Analyze Problems
• - Set Goals and Objectives
• - Draft the Policy
• - Circulate and Revise the Policy
• - Obtain Formal Endorsement
• - Launch the Policy

7
Process for Establishing and Implementing NDP
(contd)

• 3. Implement the Policy (Different approaches
  in different countries)
• - Select timing for actions. Not everything at
  same time
• - Start in easy areas with high visibility
• - Adopt a flexible policy
• - Use experts to vouch for the technical
  soundness of policy
• - Mobilize key groups e.g. consumers media
• - Create constituencies of support in and out
  of government

8
Process for Establishing and Implementing NDP
(contd)

• 4. Monitor for both expected and unintended
  effects
• 5. Evaluate and if necessary revise the policy

9
Many Actors Involved! Some pro, some against!

• Doctors, specialists, public/private
• Pharmacists retail and manufacturing
• Local and international producers, importers
• Consumers/Patients
• Media
• Regulators
• Insurance Companies
• Etc, Etc,

10
Global Pharmaceutical Market 2002 406 billion
5
US, Europe Japan 78
1.3
Market projected to grow 7.8 annually
Source www.ims-global.com/insight/report/global/re
port.htm