who medicines strategy - libdoc.who.int - World Health Organization

COMPONENTS OF THE STRATEGY | 27A NATIONAL MEDICINESPOLICY:National medicines policies (NMPs) arecommitments to goals and guides for action. Theyprovide frameworks within which priorities areset, the activities of the pharmaceutical sectorcan be coordinated, and legislation developedto support public health needs. They cover boththe public and the private sectors and involveall the main actors in the pharmaceutical field.While recognizing that each country’s situationis unique, WHO proposes 4 that the generalobjectives of medicines policies should be toensure:> Access: equitable availability and affordabilityof essential medicines> Quality: quality, safety, and efficacy of allmedicines> Rational use: therapeutically sound andcost-effective use of medicines by healthprofessionals and consumers.> presents a formal record ofvalues, aspirations, aims,decisions, and mediumtolong-term governmentcommitments> defines the national goalsand objectives for thepharmaceutical sector, and setspriorities> identifies the strategies neededto meet those objectives, andthe various actors responsiblefor implementing the maincomponents of the policy> creates a forum for nationaldiscussions on these issues.