TY - JOUR
T1 - Access to Controlled Medicines in Low-Income Countries
T2 - Listening to Stakeholders in the Field
AU - Vitry, Agnes
AU - Forte, Gilles
AU - White, Jason
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors wish to thank all who participated in interviews for this report for their time and expertise. The authors hope that this work will contribute positively to the agenda to improve access to controlled medicines in low-income countries. The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Department of Essential Medicines and Health Products, World Health Organization.
PY - 2021/7
Y1 - 2021/7
N2 - Little is known on current practices and challenges associated with the legal trade of medicines controlled under international conventions in low-income countries. This qualitative survey involved semi-structured interviews of stakeholders engaged in the trade of controlled medicines at a global level or at a country level in 3 African countries (Uganda, Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo). Nine interviews were conducted, including 3 international wholesalers, 2 relief organizations, 2 procurement officers, and 2 regulatory officers. Additionally, 4 other participants provided written information. All participants consistently reported that the current process of procuring controlled medicines in compliance with international conventions was long and complex given the number of administrative steps required for obtaining export and import authorizations, which are mandatory for both narcotic and psychotropic medicines. It may be difficult or impossible to obtain import authorizations from some health authorities in low-income countries because of long delays, mistakes in forms, absence or shortage of staff, or when annual national estimates are exceeded. The complexities of the trade of controlled medicines directly contribute to the lack of access to essential controlled medicines, both narcotics and psychotropics, in low-income countries.
AB - Little is known on current practices and challenges associated with the legal trade of medicines controlled under international conventions in low-income countries. This qualitative survey involved semi-structured interviews of stakeholders engaged in the trade of controlled medicines at a global level or at a country level in 3 African countries (Uganda, Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo). Nine interviews were conducted, including 3 international wholesalers, 2 relief organizations, 2 procurement officers, and 2 regulatory officers. Additionally, 4 other participants provided written information. All participants consistently reported that the current process of procuring controlled medicines in compliance with international conventions was long and complex given the number of administrative steps required for obtaining export and import authorizations, which are mandatory for both narcotic and psychotropic medicines. It may be difficult or impossible to obtain import authorizations from some health authorities in low-income countries because of long delays, mistakes in forms, absence or shortage of staff, or when annual national estimates are exceeded. The complexities of the trade of controlled medicines directly contribute to the lack of access to essential controlled medicines, both narcotics and psychotropics, in low-income countries.
KW - analgesics
KW - developing countries
KW - health care disparities
KW - health policy
KW - opioid/therapeutic use
KW - pain/drug therapy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85081599273&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0020731420906748
DO - 10.1177/0020731420906748
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85081599273
VL - 51
SP - 404
EP - 411
JO - International Journal of Health Services
JF - International Journal of Health Services
SN - 0020-7314
IS - 3
ER -