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Patients get priority in new national drug policy
Eminent medical personalities, patients rights groups and other stakeholders in the health sector have worked out a comprehensive national medicinal drug policy which was submitted to the Health Minister on Thursday. The draft policy was drawn up at a two-day consultation chaired by professor Chrishantha Weerasuriya, the World health Organisation's regional advisor on essential drugs.

A spokesman for the Peoples Movement for the Rights of Patients said the draft national medicinal drug policy was primarily meant to safeguard the rights of patients and the interest of patients would get priority over any commercial interest. A top official of the Health Ministry told the media that a bill for this national medicinal drug policy would be presented in parliament within weeks and essentially ensure that quality medicinal drugs were made available to all the people at affordable prices.

Some of the highlights of the proposed policy:

To ensure the availability, affordability of efficacious, safe and good quality medicines relevant to the health care needs of the people in a sustainable and equitable manner.

To promote the rational use of these medicines by healthcare professionals and patients.

To promote local manufacture of essential medicines.

According to the draft policy the selection of an essential medicines list prioritises the medicines that are important. The medicines will be selected according to sound and adequate scientific evidence, the disease pattern in the country and cost-effectiveness.

A National Standing Committee comprising all stakeholders will be established to define and regularly update the National Essential Medicines List. This committee will also oversee the implementation of medicines policies. It will formulate, review and update Standard Treatment Guidelines, Drug Index, the Sri Lankan Formulary and Government Drug Procurement Documents.

A pricing policy/mechanism will be adopted to ensure affordability. Legislation requiring generic prescribing and allowing cost-effective generic substitution should be enacted. There shall be a policy for licensing pharmacies which among others would incorporate the needs and requirements of the communities. Medicines including raw materials should be imported free of any taxes and other tariffs.

The public health provisions of the Doha Declaration (Parallel Imports, Compulsory Licensing) should be incorporated into the national legislation to ensure affordability of needed medicines. The State should provide sufficient funding for procurement and supply of essential medicines, monitor appropriate use and prevent waste. Public and private sector health insurance schemes will be encouraged to develop re-imbursable lists of medicines. The responsibility for ensuring a continuous availability of essential medicines in the country is a shared public/private sector responsibility.

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