The recent World Health Organization/Health Action International,
Europe report noted in this journal on disparities in price, availabilty
and affordability of medicines for chronic diseases is important work.
This entire subject matter as it relates to medicines for chronic diseases
deserves wider appreciation and understanding.
It should not be allowed to be filed away on shelves to gather dust-
which is a rather roundabout way of asking the question "How can the
contents of such a report be leveraged in effective ways?". I would
suggest the following:
1. Teach and or otherwise disseminate the contents of this report to
educational institutions with courses in chronic, non-communicable disease
public health/disease management- both in -and outside- the United States.
2. Encourage a dialog between practitioners and the private sector at
one or more regional/sub-regional meetings to further discuss the
implications of this report.
3. Create "access to medicines" campaigns based on existing campaigns
for infectious disease medicines. Quare: Perhaps medicines for chronic,
non-communicable diseases requires a different model?
Those in resource-poor countries who survive beyond their individual
demographic and epidemiologic transitions are already facing epidemics of
diabetes and heart disease. "Access" issues regarding medicines for
chronic diseases lie well under the radar for most policy makers in
developing countries but these issues cannot be ignored.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests:
No competing interests
21 June 2006
Warren A. Kaplan
Assistant Professor of International Health
Boston University School of Public Health, Boston MA 02118
Rapid Response:
The Great Medicines Scandal: Next Steps?
The recent World Health Organization/Health Action International,
Europe report noted in this journal on disparities in price, availabilty
and affordability of medicines for chronic diseases is important work.
This entire subject matter as it relates to medicines for chronic diseases
deserves wider appreciation and understanding.
It should not be allowed to be filed away on shelves to gather dust-
which is a rather roundabout way of asking the question "How can the
contents of such a report be leveraged in effective ways?". I would
suggest the following:
1. Teach and or otherwise disseminate the contents of this report to
educational institutions with courses in chronic, non-communicable disease
public health/disease management- both in -and outside- the United States.
2. Encourage a dialog between practitioners and the private sector at
one or more regional/sub-regional meetings to further discuss the
implications of this report.
3. Create "access to medicines" campaigns based on existing campaigns
for infectious disease medicines. Quare: Perhaps medicines for chronic,
non-communicable diseases requires a different model?
Those in resource-poor countries who survive beyond their individual
demographic and epidemiologic transitions are already facing epidemics of
diabetes and heart disease. "Access" issues regarding medicines for
chronic diseases lie well under the radar for most policy makers in
developing countries but these issues cannot be ignored.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests