A new initiative to help increase access to essential drugs in developing countries was launched last week by development secretary Douglas Alexander.
The Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA) brings together various international institutions—including the World Health Organization and World Bank—governments, civil society, and business to tackle problems with drug supplies, quality, and affordability and thus “improve the health of some of the world’s most disadvantaged people.”
The Department for International Development (DfID) stated: “One in three people around the world still don’t have access to the basic medicines they need to fight illness and ten million children die each year for want of cheap and effective drugs.”
It believes that up to a third of medicines on the market in developing countries are fakes, quoting a recent study by the American Enterprise Institute, which found that a third of malaria drugs sold in six African cities either did not contain high enough levels of active ingredient or did not dissolve properly.
At the launch, Mr Alexander said: “Too many people die needlessly because they can’t get the medicines they need. There are currently two billion people around the world who do not have access to affordable medical services. A lot of medicines are not affordable, they are of poor quality, or they are simply not available.
“The problems of price, quality and availability can be tackled by improving transparency and access to information. MeTA will provide citizens, health care workers, and others with information to challenge corruption, excessive pricing, and waste. We now have a common approach and, by working together, millions of lives could be saved.”
DfID points out that many factors compromise the efficient working of the medical supply chain in developing countries. In some cases those running healthcare systems fail to buy sufficient quantities of the right drugs, whether through lack of funding or poor organisation.
“When the right drugs are bought, there are problems distributing them to health centres and pharmacies and sometimes criminals and corrupt officials steal medicines or buy counterfeits. The effect is always the same. The poorest are hit hardest.”
The alliance intends to find ways to improve information flows and increase transparency and accountability in the selection, regulation, procurement, sale, distribution, and use of medicines in developing countries. By doing so, it hopes to “improve how decisions are made about medicines, improve the way they are purchased and supplied, encourage innovative and responsible business practices, and increase the voice of patients and consumers.”
Andreas Seiter, senior health specialist at the World Bank, said: “MeTA provides an excellent opportunity to broaden the discussion on sound pharmaceutical policies and good governance in the sector. The World Bank is looking forward to contributing to the success of MeTA, keeping in mind the ultimate goal of improving access to effective, safe, and affordable medicines.”
More information is at www.medicinestransparency.org