FIP  - International Pharmaceutical Federation
World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

31 August – 5 September 2002, Nice, France
MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT

International Pharmacists Explore Potential Roles for Improving Access to Medicines in
Developing Countries during Pharmacy Information Symposium at FIP Congress in Nice

One-third of the world’s population lacks access to essential medicines. In the poorest parts of Africa
and Asia, this figure rises to one-half.  95% of TB cases and 98% of TB deaths occur in poor
countries.  Worldwide, 79% of people with TB do not have ready access to treatment. There are
300-500 million new cases of malaria each year, of which 1-2 million result in death.  95% of the 36
million people with HIV / AIDS live in developing countries.  Research and development into diseases
that affect the poor has stagnated because of the lack of economic incentives.  The last major new TB
drug was developed 30 years ago. Resistance to all infectious disease treatments is on the rise.

The health statistics are frightening and the causes are no less upsetting.  Many developing countries
have pharmacy regulatory systems staffed with well-trained individuals that are unable to operate due to
lack of resources, corruption or ineffective laws.  Some countries are unable to stop the flow of
counterfeit drugs despite possessing the appropriate technical knowledge and equipment to do so and
others do not have the resources to test new drugs that come on the market to ensure their quality.  In
many instances, countries do not have the drug management infrastructure and resources to effectively
and efficiently procure, process, and distribute medicines. Where systems do exist to ensure delivery of
medicines, the lack of resources often limits the extent to which patients can afford treatment.

The Pharmacy Information Section of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) will host
“Access and Equity: The challenge of getting medicines to the people who need them.” during FIP’s
62nd World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Nice, France.  The session,
organised in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s Essential Drugs and Medicines Policy
programme, will focus on the technical aspects of access to medicines, for which a pharmacist’s
specialty skills are needed.

A definition of the problem of access and its extent will be discussed, along with measures needed to
address inadequate availability of medicines in developing countries.  Price and quality are major issues,
as is the need to prescribe, distribute, and use medicines appropriately.  The profession’s and FIP’s
potential roles will be discussed and the session will finish with a discussion among representatives from
developing countries about how the pharmacy profession can contribute to increased access to
medicine for the world’s poor.

As the world’s only international organisation representing the interests of pharmacy and pharmaceutical
sciences, FIP’s role in supporting pharmacy organisations in developing countries is evolving.  Through
its close work with WHO and other health professions, FIP is working to increase North-South
collaboration and transfer of knowledge and skills.  By supporting and strengthening regional work in
the global South, FIP is encouraging the creation of South-South co-operation, which will eventually
lead to sustainable development in the area of access to medicines.

Journalists are invited to attend the Press Briefing, which will take
place on Wednesday, 4 September 2002, at 10.00am in Room Gallieni
2 at the Nice Acropolis.  

Below are details of Thursday’s symposium:

Session Date/Time:  Thursday, 5 September 2002, 
9:00 – 12:00 

Location:                      Acropolis, Room Hermes (Level 2)

PRESENTATIONS

Defining the issues: What constitutes access/equity, what impacts our ability to achieve it,
and how extensive is the problem?
David Lee, Management Sciences for Health (MSH), Panama and USA 

The contribution of the essential drugs concept to improved access
Hans Hogerzeil, World Health Organization (WHO/EDM), Switzerland 

Neglected diseases and the impact of prices, pricing and patents
Raffaella Ravinetto, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Switzerland 

Ensuring drug products that are of acceptable quality
Lembit Rägo, World Health Organization (WHO/EDM), Switzerland 

Drug donations: Can they contribute to improved access?
Serge Barbereau, Réseau Médicaments et Développement (ReMeD), France 

The profession's response: What can pharmacy and FIP do to help resolve the problem?
John Bell, Commonwealth Pharmaceutical Association (CPA), Australia 

Panel discussion: Response from the field
Developing country representatives 


For more information contact:           
Satu Siiskonen, FIP Project Coordinator
Tel:  +33 49 39 28 422 in Nice, France  until 5 September
Tel.: +31 70 302 1970 in The Hague
Fax: +31 70 302 1999
E-mail: fip@fip.org
Website http://www.fip.org

 

 

 

Lisa Hayes

Communications Director

HAI Europe

Jacob van Lennepkade 334-T

1053 NJ Amsterdam

The Netherlands

tel: 31-20 683 3684

fax: 31-20 685 5002

e-mail: lisa@haiweb.org

website: http://www.haiweb.org