Report on expert consultation on access to medicines 2011, para. 48

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A new challenge for the health sector is ensuring access to medicines for non-communicable or chronic diseases. As for any other general essential medicine, equitable access (including rational selection of medicines, affordable prices, sustainable financing and reliable health systems), availability, safety and quality must also be ensured for medicines for non-communicable diseases. Another challenge for these drugs is the creation of clinical guidelines for them, including diagnostic standards and an international agreement on when to start medical treatment. The international pharmaceutical industry is heavily engaged in non-communicable diseases owing to the long-term market potential of chronic treatments. For this reason, a potential conflict of interests between industry, patient organizations, professional associations, health insurance companies and public sector bodies must be carefully indentified and managed. This also applies to low- and middle-income countries, where many locally produced and branded generic medicines are aggressively marketed.
Legal status
Non-negotiated soft law
Body
Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Means of adoption
N.A.
Topic(s)
  • Equality & Inclusion
  • Health
Person(s) affected
  • All
Year
2011
Paragraph type
Conclusion / Recommendation
Reference
SR Health, Report to the HRC (2011), A/HRC/17/43, para. 48.
Paragraph info
Conclusion / Recommendation
Paragraph number
48