Drug price control Apr 21, 2008
Drug makers have offered to sell essential medicines at 50% of their maximum retail price ... But only cost-based control will make essential medicines available to public at large and that is more essential. (India Times)
Your Money or Your Life Apr 14, 2008
Now some have to fork over thousands of dollars a month for essential medicines that they used to receive for a nominal fee. Some experts say this new system is changing the traditional idea that insurance is supposed to spread the cost so that sick people aren't stuck with huge bills. (Slate)
Interventions designed to improve the quality and efficiency of medication use in managed care: a critical review of the literature - 2001-2007 Apr 8, 2008
However, some evidence suggests increases in cost sharing reduce access to essential medicines for chronic illness. The complete article is available as a. (BioMed Central)
TWO VIEWS: Generic drug production helps save many who might die Apr 6, 2008
The only question is whether these huge corporations -- who used their political muscle in Washington to prevent our government from lowering the price of Medicare prescription drugs -- will intimidate other governments that are trying to provide essential medicines to their citizens. Thailand became the latest target of this bullying last winter when it issued "compulsory licenses" for three drugs. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
ROBERT WEISSMAN: Thailand's ill see benefits from 'compulsory licensing' Apr 6, 2008
International discussions are under way under the auspices of the World Health Organization to investigate models to spur Rpromote access to essential medicines, and the United States should continue to engage in these conversations in good faith. One promising idea being discussed is prize funds, which would offer rich rewards for those who make important medical discoveries, but not require patients to pay high prices. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Zimbabwe: Reserve Bank Introduces New Z$50 Million Note Apr 5, 2008
In addition to cash shortages, Zimbabweans are also grappling with shortages of virtually every basic survival commodity, essential medicines, fuel and foreign currency. Zimbabwe has been without a formal currency for the past five years. (allAfrica.com)
Zimbabwe: MDC Claims Army Support Apr 3, 2008
The military is credited with keeping Mugabe in power and being always ready to use brutal tactics to keep public discontent in check, in the face of the economic meltdown that has spawned hyperinflation and shortages of food, fuel, essential medicines, hard cash and just about every basic survival commodity. AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over , plus more than , who are responsible for their own reporting and views. (allAfrica.com)
Paswan urges Pawar to take a call on drug policy Mar 29, 2008
The Cabinet had referred the pharma policy to the GoM in January due to a lack of consensus on the controversial issue of expanding price controls to 354 essential medicines, besides the existing 74 drugs under Drug Price Control Order (DPCO), 1995. It is understood that the next meeting of the GoM will be the conclusive meeting, which will take a view on whether price controls should be extended to more essential drugs. (India Times, India -- Intl Business)
Donated medicines save lives Mar 27, 2008
"Without essential medicines, we are helpless against this disease. We're grateful to Henry Schein and Abbott Labs in helping us make a difference for so many children around the world.". Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. (AlertNet)
My Worst Travel Blunders Mar 2, 2008
The foresight was that we always split up Jeri's essential medicines, and that a week's worth was safely locked up in my luggage back at the hotel. And American Express made good on its promises: It had replacement travelers' checks to us within 24 hours, and new credit cards waiting for us in Athens. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Travel)
WHO says drug-resistant TB spreads fast Feb 28, 2008
"We are totally off track right now," said Dr. Tido von Schoen-Angerer, executive director of Medecins Sans Frontiere's Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines. He said only 30,000 multi-drug TB resistant patients were treated last year. (Yahoo News)
Acworth couple plan mission to Kenya Feb 17, 2008
" Medications for the clinics were purchased from MAP International. The medical assistance program agency was begun in the 1950s by the late J. Raymond Knighton, originating out of the Christian Medical Society in Chicago. Today, MAP International promotes the total health of people living in the world's poorest communities by partnering with other agencies to: provide essential medicines; promote community health development; and prevent and mitigate disease, disasters and other health... (Rockmart Journal, GA)
Breaking Our Patents Abroad: How Not to Promote Affordable Drugs Feb 16, 2008
In November 2006, the center released an update of its "Benchmarking AIDS" study, lamenting the lack of progress by drug companies in providing "access" to essential medicines. The report did find room to congratulate the Thai government for issuing compulsory licenses for producing generic Kaletra. (Townhall.com)
Supply of essential medicines Jan 29, 2008
Enter your search terms. Yoga Prasaka's article on medicine supplies ("Health Industry, the branded generic medicine debate", The Jakarta Post, Jan. 17) may comfort local manufacturers but it actually offers the sort of short-term solutions that the Indonesian health care system can ill afford. (Jakarta Post, Indonesia -- Editorial)
Does the pharma sector need more regulation? Jan 24, 2008
As a medical aid organisation providing treatment in developing countries, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is often faced with the issue of the unaffordability and unavailability of essential medicines ... This has made India self-reliant in the manufacture of drugs, and not only benefited Indian patients but also increased access to essential medicines for patients in developing countries ... The excuse the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority cannot regulate the prices of essential... (Business Standard)
Health industry; the branded generic medicine debate Jan 17, 2008
The latest move by the ministry to ensure industry compliance is by proposing its authority to import medicines to alleviate shortages of certain drugs included on the National Essential Medicines List. If the ministry goes ahead with such plans, the negative impact may be felt across the pharmaceutical industry. (Jakarta Post, Indonesia -- Business)
Dont become a statistic| Dec 27, 2007
Prepare a first aid kit and carry essential medicines on your trip. Plan ahead when travelling with children so as to keep them occupied with games, music, etc. (iAfrica.com)
Relief effort focuses on isolated areas Dec 25, 2007
"We expect that we'll get requests over the coming days for things like essential medicines, baby formula and ... fresh food.". People on the Bogan River were facing a similar situation, Mr Campbell said. (The Age)
Pregnant women in the Nkwanta District get free drugs Dec 25, 2007
The District Directorate of Health Services, under the Ghana Essential Medicines Initiative project (GEMI), was distributing the 70 assorted drugs that were on the United Nations essential drugs list. Dr Koku Awoonor-Williams, the District Director of Health Services, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that so far 391 beneficiaries had received drugs 273 of them being children and 118, pregnant women. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Kerala to regulate prices of life-saving drugs Dec 20, 2007
While the attempts of the Centre to regulate the prices of all essential medicines remained futile so far due to resistance from the pharmaceutical industry and drug traders, the Kerala government is implementing a unique initiative to regulate the prices of all life-saving medicines ... The Kerala government is also planning to bring out a list of essential medicines to educate the consumers and doctors. (Business Standard)
Kenya: Country Gets Blank Cheque to Treat HIV+ Children Dec 13, 2007
WHO has compiled the first international list of Essential Medicines for Children, which includes 206 products that tackle priority conditions and are safe for children. The United Nations health agency says about six million children younger less than five years old die annually because they do not receive appropriate medication for treatable diseases. (allAfrica.com)
'Child-specific drugs needed' Dec 10, 2007
In a bid to address the problem, the WHO has drawn up the first international List of Essential Medicines for Children, containing 206 products deemed safe for children that tackle priority conditions. The WHO points out that in developing countries, price remains a major barrier and 6 million children die each year from treatable conditions. (Irish Health)
Children dying for lack of child-sized drugs Dec 7, 2007
Ethics of testing on childrenIn a bid to address the problem, the WHO has drawn up the first international List of Essential Medicines for Children, containing 206 products deemed safe for children that tackle priority conditions. But a lot remains to be done. (MSNBC -- Health)
Fixated on drugs Dec 7, 2007
Drug prices in India are already among the lowest in the world and selective price control can ensure that essential medicines are cheap and available. What is needed more urgently is a functioning public healthcare system, which can be leveraged for large-scale drug purchases by the government at lower prices, provision of public health insurance and some checks on private healthcare providers. (India Times)
Prescription charges to be slashed Dec 7, 2007
They should not have to make choices about whether to obtain essential medicines. No-one should avoid seeing their GP because they know they cant afford the cost of their prescriptions. (Scotsman)
Women have to be at forefront in war against HIV/AIDSAccra, Ghana (PANA) As the world celebrates World AIDS Day on Saturdaycalls to put women at the forefront of the war against the pandemic arebecoming louderThis should be done through deeper education and empowerment at all areas oftheir lives. 01/12/2007 Full Text... Dec 1, 2007
He said notwithstanding the crucial role of women in prevention, the provision, care and treatment through a reliable supply of anti-retroviral drugs and other medically essential medicines with guaranteed long-term affordability should also be a crucial step to ensure successful treatment. This would include encouraging local production, through voluntary licensing and technology transfer in countries with domestic drug manufacturing capacity and the purchase of medicines from lowest cost... (Panapress.com)
Oxfam calls for drug firm action Nov 27, 2007
Anti-poverty charity Oxfam says prices for essential medicines need to be tiered, in line with people's ability to pay. Some companies do offer different prices but often "solely as a reflection of the publicity that surrounds the disease or the country", the report said. (BBC News -- Health)
Supplies and hope drain away for isolated Gazans Nov 27, 2007
The health ministry in Gaza says there are no stocks left of 85 essential medicines, including chemotherapy drugs, strong antibiotics and several psychiatric drugs. For a further 138 drugs there are only stocks for three months at most. (Guardian Unlimited)
Water worriesThe race to save cyclone survivors' lives in Bangladesh Nov 23, 2007
" The main fear among aid workers is that of water-borne diseases, chief of which is cholera. However, in other recent natural disasters experienced by the people of Bangladesh - such as widespread flooding earlier this year - a cholera outbreak was not forthcoming. A diarrhoea outbreak did happen, but then this is a country that is well used to tackling that problem. It pioneered oral rehydration therapy as a means of treating it. Aid agencies and foreign donors say that they are addressing the... (BBC News -- South Asia)
Pharma policy in limbo, GoM yet to take a call Nov 17, 2007
The policy was referred to a group of ministers (GoM) headed by agriculture minister Sharad Pawar in January, due to a lack of consensus on the controversial issue of expanding price controls to 354 essential medicines, besides the existing 74 drugs under Drug Price Control Order (DPCO), 1995. Recently, chemicals minister Ram Vilas Paswan expressed his helplessness on the matter. (India Times, India -- Intl Business)
GlobalMedic responds to Bangladesh cyclone Nov 17, 2007
We are in the process of loading humanitarian aid items including essential medicines water purification tablets, and water purification equipment. We will likely be deploying a water and medical team but are just awaiting confirmation from the Muslim Aid staff on the ground. (AlertNet)
Congo-Kinshasa: Aid for people fleeing North Kivu Nov 11, 2007
Each facility has been sent a special kit for the treatment of war-wounded people and essential medicines for the care of rape victims. The ICRC remains extremely concerned about the depredations being committed against the civilian population by bearers of weapons: rape, pillage, summary executions and forced recruitment of minors. (AlertNet)
UN Health Talks Could Lead To Urgently Needed Drugs And Diagnostics Nov 11, 2007
"The Rem is broken, it is not delivering," said Dr. Tido von Schoen-Angerer, Director of MSF's Access to Essential Medicines Campaign. "Take tuberculosis, for example; because tests are either antiquated or too high-tech, we don't have any practical tool to diagnose TB in people with HIV, who are precisely the ones most at risk of dying. And because drugs to treat resistant strains of TB are too weak, up to 20 percent of HIV uninfected and two-thirds of HIV infected patients with multidrug-... (Medical News Today (press release))
INTERVIEW-TB clinical drug trials should be expanded Nov 8, 2007
Von Schoen-Angerer, executive director of the MSF's Access to Essential Medicines Campaign, said patients did not have the luxury of waiting a decade or more for new drugs to be marketed. "You can develop the drugs quicker if you do it in MDR patients and we need to do everything to accelerate development. All the drugs in the pipeline should be tested in MDR patients, which is currently not yet the plan.". (AlertNet)
If R&D Ain't Broke, Why Break It? Nov 8, 2007
That agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights includes a clause designed to allow emergency production of essential medicines in poor countries. In practice, its wording is so vague that it allows any government to override the patent on any drug it likes. (Investors Business Daily)
Experts brainstorm on intellectual property in drugs Nov 7, 2007
In a WHO report, Dr Sory said one-third of the world lacked access to essential medicines, adding that, in Ghana a survey put expenditure on medicines as a percentage of total household expenses at 60 per cent.. Dr Sorry noted that the prices of many essential medicines remained too high in relation to local purchasing power stressing that for the sustainability of the National Health Insurance Scheme, prices and rational prescribing remained key areas that needed to be looked at ... He called... (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Mirren Is Face Of Oxfam Xmas Appeal Nov 5, 2007
They are starring in a TV advert to publicise an alternative gift range which allows people to buy items such as fertiliser, a toilet, condoms, essential medicines and school books for communities in developing countries. The commercial pokes fun at the traditional charity appeal advert, stating how millions of people suffer every year from receiving presents they do not want. (Sky News)
Antidrug effort will do harm, not good Nov 1, 2007
Instead, farmers should be allowed to grow their poppy for the production of essential medicines, such as morphine. This would provide a financial incentive to sever ties with the insurgency, while addressing the world shortage of pain-relieving medicines. (Boston Globe -- Editorial)
Medair Health Clinic Looted In West Darfur Oct 23, 2007
"It is completely unacceptable that it should be attacked in this way. The loss of essential medicines and supplies will have a significant impact on the provision of health care in the area..". Medair also supports emergency water systems and hand pumps in the area, although it is not currently known if these facilities have been damaged. (AlertNet)
Research universities must act Oct 3, 2007
AS HARVARD'S new president takes the helm, over 300 students from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom converged on the university last weekend for the fourth annual conference of Universities Allied for Essential Medicines ... The University of Wisconsin must demand that Abbott Industries reinstates Zemplar on the Thai market, along with the other essential medicines ... Rachel Kiddell-Monroe is the board president and Ethan Guillen is the executive director of Universities Allied... (Boston Globe)
College of Health Sciences Scientific Conference opens Sep 27, 2007
Another serious public health problem was lack of essential medicines, which included availability and affordability and were influenced by factors such as pricing, financing and supply. "This poses a serious challenge to us as a nation," Mr Essien said. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Indian Pharma: Spectre of price control Sep 25, 2007
There is avid attention being paid to bring all 354 medicines on National Lists of Essential Medicines under price control. However, a recent Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) study states that the rise in the price of medicines has been below inflation rate. (India Times)
North Korea: Medical Teams International ships $1 million in medicines for flood victims Sep 19, 2007
The essential medicines will help 20,000 people for three months ... Medical Teams International (formerly Northwest Medical Teams) is partnering with the Dutch agency Dorcas Aid International to send the essential medicines from The Netherlands. (AlertNet)
The UMCOR Hotline for September 11, 2007 Sep 12, 2007
The Box contains 18 essential medicines and medical supplies that are enough to respond to illnesses and injuries in a population of 1,000 people for a period of three months. Because of the low supply of Medicine Boxes, UMCOR has not been able to fulfill requests for them. (AlertNet)
How to solve Afghanistan's opium crisis Aug 29, 2007
Opium is the raw material for morphine and other essential medicines. To start tackling the economic nature of the crisis, we presented in June a village-based Poppy for Medicine model whose crux is the production of painkilling medicines. (Guardian Unlimited -- World)
UN appeals for N Korea flood aid Aug 29, 2007
The UN has prioritised essential medicines, clean water and food for the worst-affected communities, with an estimated 170,000 people left homeless by flooding across the country. The UN also called for support to ensure better disease surveillance and outbreak response. (Aljazeera.Net)
Cancer patients cry for relief Aug 27, 2007
The relief from pain is getting blocked by strict drug control policies, which are major hurdles for availability and medical use of essential medicines like morphine. You have to get permission from eight different Government departments to have morphine distribution facility in a hospital. (Hindu)
The Indian Pharmaceutical Market to 2011: Competitive Dynamics and Major Players Aug 23, 2007
Stringent pricing controls on numerous essential medicines. Future Indian pharmaceutical growth models. (BusinessWire)
Britain, Germany launch third world health scheme Aug 23, 2007
A lack of health workers -- many of whom move to developed countries after training -- clinics, supplies of essential medicines and sustainable health financing systems are among the main obstacles. news is provided by. (AlertNet)
Medicines desperately needed, says North Korea Aug 23, 2007
5 million, while their international humanitarian emergency affairs team sources another $300,000 worth of essential medicines. A shipment of relief kits containing family supplies and food arrived yesterday from World Vision Korea, destined for communities in North Hwanghae province where World Vision has been operating an agricultural project. (AlertNet)
Brown and Merkel take in Wembley showdown Aug 23, 2007
In a joint statement, the pair said: "We know that weak systems - the lack of health workers, clinics, supplies of essential medicines and lack of sustainable health-financing systems - are the main barriers to making more rapid progress in improving health outcomes.". The talks predate a formal announcement on September 5 whereby major donors, such as Germany, Britain, Canada and Norway, will join forces with the World Bank and World Health Organisation to make aid more effective in backing... (Guardian Unlimited -- UK)
Grants sought to fund pharmacy Aug 17, 2007
Marmish said there are large populations of people in Citrus County living on fixed incomes who sacrifice things like food or electricity in order to pay for essential medicines that they couldn t afford otherwise. There are a lot of people who need us, Marmish said. (Crystal River Citrus County Chronicle, FL)
Not ready for Hurricane Dean? There's no one to blame but you Aug 17, 2007
Packaged food, water, flashlights, batteries, essential medicines and the like should be stashed away to help you be self-sufficient for at least three to four days. If you haven't yet, develop a preliminary evacuation policy and if you are going to leave, go early, and have an idea where you want to go. (Pensacola News Journal)
Indian court rejectsNovartis' drug patent suit Aug 8, 2007
Tido von Schoen-Angerer, head of the Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines, said the decision "is a huge relief for millions of patients and doctors in developing countries who depend on affordable medicines from India". Novartis, meanwhile, which is based in the northern Swiss city of Basel, said in a statement on Monday that the ruling would "have long-term negative consequences for research and development into better medicines for... (Asia Times Online)
GSK gives consent under Canada's Access to Medicines Regime for generic version of HIV/AIDS medicine for use in Rwanda Aug 8, 2007
The legislation includes controls which are designed to ensure that these essential medicines reach the patients for whom they are intended and the authorisation to be granted will be subject to these controls. GSK has agreed to waive royalties on the basis that Apotex's triple combination generic ARV will be supplied on a no profit basis. (Canada Newswire)
India rejects Novartis patent appeal Aug 7, 2007
"This is a huge relief for millions of patients and doctors in developing countries who depend on affordable medicines from India," Tido von Schoen-Angerer, director of the Doctors Without Borders Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines, said in an e-mail. Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company. (Boston Globe)
Indian ruling against pharmaceutical giant Novartis a victory for public health, say leading aid and advocacy agencies Aug 7, 2007
Sandhya Venkateswaran, Head of Advocacy for CARE International in India said: "This ruling is a lifeline for the millions of people who cannot afford brand-name drugs, and ensures that essential medicines from India will reach those who rely on them. CARE and other agencies can breathe easily now and continue to deliver treatment programmes. "More than 5 million people with HIV around the world still cannot afford anti-retroviral medicine, but this ruling reduces the number of people for whom... (AlertNet)
Indian law on generic drugs is upheld Aug 7, 2007
res, or Doctors Without Borders, campaign for access to essential medicines. Novartis said in a statement that the case would "have long-term negative consequences for research and development into better medicines" that could benefit people in India and beyond. (International Herald Tribune)
Court rejects challenge to Indian patent laws by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis Aug 7, 2007
This is a huge relief for millions of patients and doctors in developing countries who depend on affordable medicines from India, said Tido von Schoen-Angerer, director of the Medecins Sans Frontieres, or Doctors Without Borders, campaign for access to essential medicines. Aid groups feared a Novartis victory would set a precedent for other pharmaceutical companies seeking patent protection for essential medicines including AIDS drugs currently made cheaply in several countries. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Business)
Race to position food in CAR for Darfurian refugees Jul 27, 2007
Essential medicines have been delivered and a further truck convoy is due to arrive in Sam Ouandja soon carrying seeds to allow the refugees at least some level of food self-sufficiency by the time of the next harvest in September. Walking around the camp, the dusty orange tinge to many of the young children s hair was a clear and disconcerting sign of malnutrition. (AlertNet)
New MSF report shows up to 500% price rise for less-toxic, WHO recommended first-line regimen Jul 24, 2007
"It's encouraging to see the price of second-line regimens finally starting to come down," said Karen Day, pharmacist with MSF's Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines ... "I work in Sydney and also have been treating patients with AIDS in countries like Malawi and Mozambique and the gaps I have witnessed are alarming," said Dr Alexandra Calmy, HIV/AIDS Advisor for MSF's Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines. (AlertNet)
Rwanda launches key test of WTO drug patent waiver Jul 21, 2007
Pascale Boulet, a legal advisor for Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) and its Access to Essential Medicines campaign, said developing countries have been reticent to use the "paragraph 6" system because of its difficult procedures. Boulet said the aid group would follow the Rwandan case with great interest to see if the medicine it wants from Apotex does reach the country, where about 3 percent of the population is infected with HIV/AIDS.. (AlertNet)
PAKISTAN: UN launches flash appeal for flood-hit provinces Jul 19, 2007
"Hundreds of thousands of people now risk getting seriously ill if we do not continue to provide safe water, food and essential medicines. The scale of the floods calls for international support and we must act now," Vandemoortele said ... According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on 17 July, needs in the shelter sector were particularly acute in 28 flood-affected districts of Balochistan and Sindh, with food, potable water and essential medicines remaining priority... (AlertNet)
GUEST COLUMN: Rudy Autio embraced life's surprises - Wednesday, July 18, 2007 Jul 18, 2007
Upon the gale's arrival, our less than impairment-free crew spotted a dinghy that had overturned, its three occupants clinging to life vests, one boater's container of essential medicines drifting away and submerging. Upon navigating to he rescue, the only competent sailor (Autio) and his buddy with only rudimentary sailing skills (this writer) both stupidly jumped overboard, saving the man's medicine but leaving on our deck one with no sailing experience. (Missoulian, MT)
News - Appeal for flooded Pakistan Jul 7, 2007
"ResponseThe has been helping people affected by the flooding with the support of the Federation and the International Committee of the Red Cross Water, food, shelter, sanitation, and hygiene promotion are priorities.Red Cross/Red Crescent teams have already installed four water pumps to supply water to 800 families around Turbat. They have also been distributing food, essential medicines, and items such as tents, blankets, tarpaulins, and kitchen sets.Long-termA Field Assessment and... (AlertNet)
