Thursday, November 17, 2011

[EQ] A win-win solution?: A critical analysis of tiered pricing to improve access to medicines in developing countries

A win-win solution?:
A critical analysis of tiered pricing to improve access to medicines in developing countries


Suerie Moon1*, Elodie Jambert2, Michelle Childs2 and Tido von Schoen-Angerer2

1 Harvard Kennedy School and School of Public Health, Boston, USA

2 Médecins Sans Frontières, Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines, Geneva, Switzerland
Globalization and Health 2011, 7:39 doi:10.1186/1744-8603-7-39

Available online at: http://bit.ly/vOOoAb


“…………Tiered pricing - the concept of selling drugs and vaccines in developing countries at prices systematically lower than in industrialized countries - has received widespread support from industry, policymakers, civil society, and academics as a way to improve access to medicines for the poor. We carried out case studies based on a review of international drug price developments for antiretrovirals, artemisinin combination therapies, drug-resistant tuberculosis medicines, liposomal amphotericin B (for visceral leishmaniasis), and pneumococcal vaccines.

 

We found several critical shortcomings to tiered pricing: it is inferior to competition for achieving the lowest sustainable prices; it often involves arbitrary divisions between markets and/or countries, which can lead to very high prices for middle-income markets; and it leaves a disproportionate amount of decision-making power in the hands of sellers vis-à-vis consumers. In many developing countries, resources are often stretched so tight that affordability can only be approached by selling medicines at or near the cost of production. Policies that "de-link" the financing of R&D from the price of medicines merit further attention, since they can reward innovation while exploiting robust competition in production to generate the lowest sustainable prices. However, in special cases - such as when market volumes are very small or multi-source production capacity is lacking - tiered pricing may offer the only practical option to meet short-term needs for access to a product. In such cases, steps should be taken to ensure affordability and availability in the longer-term.

 

Summary

To ensure access to medicines for populations in need, alternate strategies should be explored that harness the power of competition, avoid arbitrary market segmentation, and/or recognize government responsibilities. Competition should generally be the default option for achieving affordability, as it has proven superior to tiered pricing for reliably achieving the lowest sustainable prices……………”

 

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[EQ] Public health in Austria - An analysis of the status of public health

Public health in Austria - An analysis of the status of public health


Edited by

Joy Ladurner, Marlene Gerger, Walter W. Holland, Elias Mossialos, Sherry Merkur, Susie Stewart, Rachel Irwin and Jürgen Soffried

World Health Organization 2011 - European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies

Available online PDF [370p.] at: http://bit.ly/w1tdvv

“………Current demographic, medical and economic developments challenge our health care system in a hitherto unknown way, to be relevant not only today but also for decades to come. We are confronted with the difficult task of providing accessible, needs-orientated, high-quality and cost-effective health care services to everyone.

Great efforts need to be made to promote sustainable health for the entire population, especially in view of the fact that disadvantaged population groups currently tend to have less favourable health opportunities and outcomes and that health system processes can intensify this situation. Health service provision must strive to be independent of income, level of education or professional status.

Orientating health policy solely towards the health care sector is too limited. Modern health policy, which is characterized by a public health orientation, combines scientific, organizational and political efforts in order to promote the health of populations or defined population groups and creates health care systems which show a stronger focus on people’s needs and efficiency.

Quality, effectiveness, efficiency, free access, equitable and needs-oriented health services are the basis for an optimal level of health care services for the population in the long term…..”

 

Content:

Methodology

1. Introduction

1.1 History

1.2 The German experience

1.3 The history of public health in developed countries

Late 19th century

Before the First World War

Between the wars

After the wars

Recent and current issues in public health

1.4 Scope, functions and responsibilities of public health

Addressing determinants of health

Scope and responsibilities

1.5 Structure of public health

National and local structures

Supranational and international structures

Other actors and sectors

Multidisciplinary public health

1.6 Education, training and research

1.7. Examples of public health in practice – selected issues

Coronary heart disease

Abortion and fertility

Violence

Reference to country examples

1.8 Conclusions

2. Analysis of the Austrian public health system

2.1 Introduction and definitions

Core functions of public health – a brief overview

Notions of public health in Austria

Experts’ opinions on the definition and understanding of public health

2.2 Legislation

2.3 Funding

Legislation

Research and literature

Funding of public health-related services – overview

Funding of selected public health services and activities

2.4 Organization, structures and stakeholders

2.5 Public health disciplines, training and research – key functions

Public health disciplines

Public health training and research structure

Functions of public health in Austria

2.6 Challenges and priority areas for public health in Austria

Health and disease in Austria 80

Challenges and priority areas for public health based on expert opinion

2.7 Conclusions

3. Information management and health reporting

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Legislation

3.3 Stakeholders

3.4 Health information systems

3.5 Data protection

3.6 Data surveillance and data analysis

3.7 Health reporting

Definitions and targets of health reporting

Development of health reporting in Austria

Infrastructure

Producers of health reports

Time spans between reporting

Contents of reports

Influence of international reporting activities

Follow-up measures, evaluation and sustainability

Success factors for health reporting

Ideal health reporting versus current practice in Austria

Trends

The role of social insurance in health reporting

3.8 Infectious diseases

Legislation on infectious diseases

Mandatory reporting of notifiable infectious diseases

Surveillance of infectious diseases

Early-warning systems

Outbreak control

Reporting and control of infectious diseases in practice

3.9 Registries

3.10 Conclusions

4. Health targets

5. Addressing disadvantaged and special needs groups

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Identification of disadvantaged groups

Dimensions and scope of the disadvantaged population

Impact of disadvantage on health status

5.3 Equity of access to curative and public health services

Promoting access to care and healthy lifestyles of disadvantaged groups

Equity of access to curative services

Equity of access to public health services

Selected health services for disadvantaged groups

5.4 Potential role of social insurance

5.5 Conclusions

6. Health professionals and public health

6.1 Public health professionals in Austria

Physicians and public health

Nurses

Midwives

Other public health professionals

6.2 Capacity-building in public health

The concept of capacity-building

Leadership and commitment

Resources

Structures and organizational development

Networking and partnerships

Workforce development

Trends

Capacity-building in social insurance

6.3 Public health research

Public health research topics in Austria

6.4 Conclusions

7. Recommendations

7.1 Immediate recommendations

Definition

Overall framework and strategy

7.2 General recommendations

7.3 Specific recommendations

8. Annexes

 

 

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 *      *     *
This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMC Area]
Washington DC USA

“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PAHO/WHO Website
Equity List - Archives - Join/remove: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html
Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho





IMPORTANT: This transmission is for use by the intended
recipient and it may contain privileged, proprietary or
confidential information. If you are not the intended
recipient or a person responsible for delivering this
transmission to the intended recipient, you may not
disclose, copy or distribute this transmission or take
any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission
in error, please dispose of and delete this transmission.

Thank you.