Medicines policy

WHO recommends that all countries formulate and implement a comprehensive national medicines policy in order to address pharmaceutical sector issues under a common framework. WHO supports Member States 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, complementary and alternative medicines that are safe, effective and of good quality.

Guidance

• How to develop and implement a national drug policy
• National health policies

Examples of National Medicines Policies

A collection of National Medicines Policies have been published in the WHO Department of Essential Medicines and Health Products Information Portal as a public sub-collection. Individual National Medicines Policies can also be found through the search engine.

• Essential Medicines and Health Products Information Portal

Training

• Technical Briefing Seminar on essential medicines policies

Key publications

• Continuity and Change: Implementing the third WHO Medicines Strategy – 2008-2013
• Priority medicines for Europe and the world update report, 2013
• The World Medicines Situation

Other resources

• The Interagency Pharmaceutical Coordination group (IPC)
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Essential medicines and human rights

Archived resources

• The next generation of Essential Medicines
• The Essential Medicines Monitor
• WHO policy perspectives on medicines
• IMS Health Report
• MDG 8, Target 8.E

Medicines policy-related World Health Assembly resolutions and WHO Secretariat reports

• Ensuring accessibility of essential medicines WHA55.14
• Progress in the rational use of medicines WHA60.16
• Better medicines for children WHA60.20
• Strengthening national policy dialogue to build more robust health policies, strategies and plans WHA64.8
• Health system strengthening: improving support to policy dialogue around national health policies, strategies and plans A64/12
  Report by WHO Secretariat
• Health system strengthening: current trends and challenges A64/13
  Report by WHO Secretariat
• Strengthening of palliative care as a component of comprehensive care throughout the life course WHA67.19
• Health intervention and technology assessment in support of universal health coverage WHA67.23
• Access to essential medicines A67/30
  Report by WHO Secretariat
• Strengthening of palliative care as a component of integrated treatment throughout the life course A67/31
  Report by WHO Secretariat
• Global action plan on antimicrobial resistance WHA68.7