National Pharmaceuticals Policy - International Experience

International Experience

The Sri Lankan policy was supported by World Health Organization (WHO) and other United Nations agencies with enormous benefit to Third World countries. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Secretariat examined the Sri Lankan experience, concluding that an analysis of the Sri Lankan model could give other developing countries an insight into ways of formulating, developing and implementing integrated national pharmaceutical policies. With Bibile’s assistance, it published "Case Studies in the Transfer of Technology: Pharmaceutical Policies in Sri Lanka". This document has proved to be a very valuable guideline for developing countries intending to initiate pharmaceutical reforms. Translated into other languages, it may be found with health planners of almost every Third World country.

The "Guide to Good Prescribing" has been translated into 18 languages and adopted by teaching institutions throughout the world.

The WHO took Sri Lanka's experience to the rest of the World, with the result that by 2000:

• over 100 countries had national pharmaceuticals policies,

• 156 countries had national or provincial essential medicines lists

• 135 countries had national treatment guidelines/formulary manuals

• 88 countries had introduced the essential drug concept into medical and pharmacy curricula.

Bangladesh is a least developed country which has confirmed and reiterated that it is within the capabilities countries with limited resources to successfully introduce an integrated national pharmaceutical policy.

The Chilean experience showed the power of the pharmaceuticals giants. The successful implementation of pharmaceutical reforms in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh was due to the presence of the vital ingredient of political will with which real progress is possible.