Are essential medicines available, reliable and affordable in low-middle income countries?

Publication date: Available online 21 December 2018Source: Journal of Cancer PolicyAuthor(s): Tim Eden, Elizabeth Burns, Piera Freccero, Lorna Renner, Vivian Paintsil, Mae Dolendo, Trisha Scanlan, Aye Aye Khaing, Martha Pina, Afiqul Islam, Catherine Chunda-Liyoka, Francine Kouya, Elizabeth MolyneuxAbstractA critical challenge for reducing the cancer survival disparity between children living in low-middle income countries (LMICs) and those in high income countries (HICs) is the apparent lack of consistent supplies of reliable, good quality, effective and affordable essential medicines for curative, supportive and palliative care in LMICs. Using a semi-structured 17 point questionnaire we asked ten paediatricians in nine countries for their perceptions of availability, accessibility, affordability and quality of the drugs they needed to treat their patients with cancer. All the countries needed to procure and import some or all of the required essential medicines. Despite their countries signing up to the latest World Health Organisation Essential Medicines Listing there were inconsistent supplies of key medicines. This occurred sometimes due to inadequate global production of some drugs but more often to failure of adequate registration, procurement, importation and distribution. Costs played a significant role regarding prompt importation in some of the countries and cheaper biosimilar drugs were procured often without certification of quality production and provenance. Wher...
Source: Journal of Cancer Policy - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research