Department of Technical Cooperation for Essential Drugs and Traditional Medicine (HTP/TCM)
The Department of Technical Cooperation for Essential Drugs and Traditional Medicine (TCM) is the lead department in WHO for technical cooperation with countries on medicines issues. Using the WHO Medicines Strategy 2004-2007 as its framework, TCM’s priority in technical collaboration is improving access and rational use of quality essential medicines, including traditional and complementary/alternative medicines.
TCM works with the the Department of Policy and Standards Of Medicines (PSM), WHO Regional and Country Offices in order to provide and coordinate relevant technical support to countries.
In response to country requests, TCM makes WHO resources and experts available for:
- Sharing policy and technical advice
- Advocating for and building capacity on medicines issues
- Encouraging appropriate research and development
- Promoting partnerships and coordination of the many parties working to improve access to medicines
- Monitoring country pharmaceutical situations
TCM is also responsible for:
- Regular monitoring of the impact of WHO work in medicines
- WHO’s normative work on traditional and complementary/alternative medicines
- WHO’s normative work on international, regional and bilateral trade agreements as they relate to access to medicines
Mission
TCM's mission is to support Member States in country, intercountry, and regional efforts to develop, implement and monitor the effectiveness of national medicines policies, guidelines, strategies and plans that ensure the availability, affordability and rational use of essential medicines and traditional and complementary/alternative medicines that are safe, effective and of good quality.
Objective
The overall objective of TCM is to contribute to improving health and saving lives by supporting countries and regions to develop, implement and monitor national policies on medicines, including traditional medicines and complementary/alternative medicines, based on:
- Equity of access to essential medicines, traditional medicines and complementary/alternative medicines
- Rational use of essential medicines, traditional medicines and complementary/alternative medicines
- Quality, safety and efficacy of essential medicines, traditional medicines and complementary/alternative medicines; and that
- Consider the context of international, regional and bilateral trade agreements.
Contact
TCM focal points in Geneva, Regional Offices, and Country Offices and TCM Collaborating Centres
Director’s Office
Dr Precious Matsoso, Director
Dr German Velasquez, Associate Director
HTP/TCM
World Health Organization
CH-1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Fax +41 22 791 35 09
Regional Focal Points
AFRO- Gilles Forte
EMRO – Guitelle Baghdadi
EURO – Mary Cooper
PAHO – German Velasquez
SEARO - German Velasquez
WPRO – Daisy Carandang
Issue Focal Points
Prices of medicines – Gilles Forte
Technical Units
Monitoring
Daisy Carandang
Trade agreements
German Velasquez
Cecilia Oh
Traditional medicine
Dr Xiaorui Zhang
Dr Samvel Azatyan
Ms Yukiko Maruyama