National medicines policies are an essential piece of WHO’s goal of universal health coverage, or health care for all. Strategies to promote these policies aim to increase access to and use of high quality and affordable medicines and health products in every country. WHO supports Member States to develop, implement and monitor national medicines policies that ensure these products are appropriately prescribed and dispensed, affordably priced and protected against high out-of-pocket expenses for users, and accessible to all countries and regions, particularly within health facilities. This approach focuses on equitable access to medicines through the development of products to treat diseases that primarily affect low-income areas and innovations based on established public health needs.

WHO works to provide guidance on key medicines and health technologies though policy briefs, technical seminars and collaboration with partners and Members States. Through the Department of Essential Medicines and Health Products (EMP), WHO also acts as the secretariat for the Interagency Pharmaceutical Coordination (IPC) group, which facilitates the development and implementation of policies and programmes relating to medicines and health products.