Access to Medicines Policy Research
Good Governance for Medicines: Analysis of baseline and follow-up transparency assessment in 26 countries participating in the Good Governance for Medicines programme
The Good Governance for Medicines (GGM) programme was launched in 2004 by WHO with the specific aim of promoting good governance in the pharmaceutical sector. Such a focus intends both to prevent corruption and to strengthen overall health systems. Between 2004 and 2008, 26 countries joined the GGM programme and have conducted their own national transparency assessments providing them with a set of baseline data for various functions of the pharmaceutical chain (including medicines registration, licensing and inspection of pharmaceutical establishments, promotion, clinical trials, selection, procurement and distribution). The functions assessed in-country vary between three and eight depending on when the country joined GGM.
In order to measure the degrees of transparency in pharmaceutical systems in all 26 countries since the first studies were conducted, WHO is planning to collect data as of 2010 through a desk-review process. This will be done by sending populated checklists to the GGM country focal points.
As part of its Access to Medicines initiative, the Alliance HPSR is funding one researcher who will consolidate, analyse and report on data for 26 countries.
The objectives of this project are to:
- Analyse available baseline and progress data on medicines transparency in 26 countries participating in the GGM programme
- Produce a report analysing transparency progress to date in the 26 countries, and provide recommendations for improving GGM policies in these countries
- Initiate thereby the monitoring and evaluation process of the GGM programme in participating countries.
This project will work to finalize a transparency checklist for the 26 countries participating in the GGM programme. Upon completion, a report analysing the transparency progress to date in these countries and recommendations for improving GGM policy will be produced. Through these findings, the Alliance hopes to highlight potential barriers users may face in accessing essential medicines in these countries.
Project description
Programme: Access to Medicines Policy Research
Research title: Good Governance for Medicines: Analysis of baseline and follow-up transparency assessment in 26 countries participating in the Good Governance for Medicines programme
Thematic Research Area: Access to Medicines
Program Coordinator/Principle Investigator: Dr Rasha Hamra
Start date: Autumn/Winter 2010
Status of grant: Completed (June 2011)