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Ability of associations to access financial resources as a vital part of the right to freedom of association & Ability to hold peaceful assemblies as an integral component of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly 2013, para. 19
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur notes with concern laws and practices that constrain civil society organizations from seeking, receiving or utilizing foreign funding. As will be detailed in the following section of the report, most of the justifications put forward by States to restrict foreign funding do not comply with article 22, paragraph 2, of the Covenant, which states that "no restrictions may be placed on the exercise of [the right to freedom of association] other than those which are prescribed by law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others." As will be repeatedly emphasized in this section, the conditions for any restriction are cumulative, that is, motivated by one of the above limited interests, have a legal basis and "necessary in a democratic society".
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
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Ability of associations to access financial resources as a vital part of the right to freedom of association & Ability to hold peaceful assemblies as an integral component of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly 2013, para. 47
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur recalls that the exercise of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly can be subject to certain restrictions only, "which are prescribed by law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others." In this connection, he stresses once again that freedom is to be considered the rule and its restriction the exception.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to information in international organizations 2017, para. 38
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- The legitimate subjects of restriction for States, to protect the rights or the reputation of others, national security or public order or public health or morals, may also serve as a basis for restrictions on the part of intergovernmental organizations. The rights of others, for instance, would counsel for the creation of protections to ensure that disclosures do not interfere with the privacy rights of individuals employed by or in some way connected to the intergovernmental organization. Public order may be an especially salient basis for sensitivity with regard to disclosure in the context of peacekeeping, while national security could be a basis, for example: the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) might choose not to disclose certain information about nuclear inspections; or the World Health Organization (WHO) could cite public health concerns as a basis for withholding sensitive information. Even for these generic bases for non-disclosure, the organization would still need to demonstrate necessity and proportionality in a given case.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Access to justice and the right to food: the way forward 2015, para. 9
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- The Optional Protocol is intended to complement rather than replace national legal systems and should not be considered as the principal means of seeking justice. The Optional Protocol grants individuals, or groups of individuals under the jurisdiction of a State party, the right to submit communications about alleged violations of any economic, social or cultural right to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (art. 2).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Access to justice and the right to food: the way forward 2015, para. 15
- Paragraph text
- Constitutional provisions and framework laws can be effective means of promoting the progressive realization of the right to food at the domestic level. The adoption of sectoral legislation will ensure that States adequately address various sectors that impact significantly on various dimensions of food security.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Access to justice and the right to food: the way forward 2015, para. 27
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- A rights-based approach to food security is paramount to ensure that the fundamental right to be free from hunger is upheld, with States obliged to do everything in their power to guarantee that everyone has access at all times to adequate, safe and nutrient-rich food in order to lead healthy lives. Yet, despite the fact that the right to food has been enshrined in international law, many States remain reluctant to recognize it and to constitutionalize it as a basic right with justiciable effect.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Access to justice and the right to food: the way forward 2015, para. 30
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- A lack of awareness of legal rights and entitlements, as well as the State's obligations and duties to protect these rights, is a major barrier to achieving the enjoyment of the full range of rights, including economic, social and cultural rights. General knowledge and understanding of judicial and adjudicatory mechanisms as a means of enforcing basic rights is severely lacking in many countries.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Access to justice and the right to food: the way forward 2015, para. 72a
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- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that States:] For those that have not already done so, ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as a matter of priority;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Access to justice and the right to food: the way forward 2015, para. 72f
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that States:] Ensure that everyone, without discrimination, is afforded access to social protection as a means of offering economic, social, and cultural rights;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Access to justice and the right to food: the way forward 2015, para. 72j
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that States:] Develop the necessary legal structure in order to protect resources directly related to the right to access adequate and nutritious food, such as water sources, access to land and seed production;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 3
- Paragraph text
- Access to medicines is an integral component of the right to health, as enunciated under article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in its interpretation of the normative content of article 12 issued its general comment No. 14 (2000) on the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which provides that all health services, goods and facilities, including medicines, should be made available, accessible, acceptable and of good quality. While several aspects of the right to health are understood to be progressively realizable, certain core obligations cast immediate obligations on States, including the provision of essential medicines to all persons in a non-discriminatory manner.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 4
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- The right-to-health framework sets out key elements that should be fulfilled by States to ensure access to medicines. First, medicines should be made available in sufficient quantities within a country to meet the needs of the people. In fulfilling this obligation States should select essential medicines that reflect the priority diseases in the population, procure them in sufficient quantities and ensure their availability in all public health facilities. Second, medicines should be accessible in terms of economic affordability and physical distance from where the population lives on the basis principle of non-discrimination. Third, medicines should be determined to be culturally and ethically acceptable to the population. Finally, States also have the obligation to put in place strong regulatory mechanisms and transparent processes which ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 5
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- Furthermore, States have the obligation to respect, protect and fulfil the right to health, including access to medicines. The duty to respect extends to the obligation of States to refrain, inter alia, from denying or limiting equal access for all persons, including vulnerable groups, to all health services, including medicines. The duty to protect requires a State to ensure that third parties do not obstruct the enjoyment of the right to health. For example, a State should ensure that privatization of the health sector and the supply of medicines by private companies does not constitute a threat to the availability, accessibility, acceptability of quality medicines. The duty to protect also extends to the regulation of the marketing and sale of safe and good quality medicines by third parties. Finally, the duty to fulfil necessitates that States take positive measures that enable and assist individuals and communities to enjoy the right to health and give sufficient recognition to the right to health in the national political and legal systems, preferably by way of legislative implementation. In this context and as part of States' immediate obligations to take deliberate, concrete and targeted steps towards the full realization of the right to health, States should adopt a national health policy with a detailed national plan of action aimed at ensuring access to medicines.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 6
- Paragraph text
- While States have the primary responsibility for enhancing access to medicines, it is a shared responsibility in which numerous national and international actors have a role to play. In its general comment No. 3 (1990) on the nature of States parties' obligations, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights also stressed the obligation of States to take steps, individually and through international assistance and cooperation, especially economic and technical, towards the full realization of the rights recognized in the Covenant, including the right to health. Moreover, in the spirit of Articles 55 and 56 of the Charter of the United Nations, articles 2(1) and 23 of the Covenant, as well as the Alma-Ata Declaration on Primary Health Care, States should recognize the essential role of international cooperation and comply with their commitment to take joint and separate action to achieve the full realization of the right to health. According to the Human Rights Guidelines for Pharmaceutical Companies in relation to Access to Medicines, pharmaceutical companies should integrate human rights, including the right to health, into their strategies, policies, programmes, projects and activities.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 7
- Paragraph text
- Market-oriented approaches to medicines in a highly competitive global marketplace often project issues related to access to medicines as a matter of profit rather than a public health concern. While it is understandable that private pharmaceutical companies should follow such an approach, there is a growing need for States to balance that market-driven perspective by positioning access to medicines in the right-to-health framework. There is thus the need to shift the dominant market-oriented paradigm on access to medicines towards a right-to-health paradigm and reaffirm that access to affordable and quality medicines and medical care in the event of sickness, as well as the prevention, treatment and control of diseases, are central elements of the enjoyment of the right to health.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- Ensuring access to medicines also requires a functioning health system that encapsulates the key elements of the right to health: availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality. As part of the State obligation to fulfil the right to health and with a view to the progressive realization of access to affordable and quality medicines, the Special Rapporteur urges States to adopt a detailed national plan of action on medicines. The plan of action should be backed by a strong political will and commitment that prioritizes access to medicines within the public health budget and allocates resources accordingly. This is particularly pertinent in the context of the current global economic crisis, where some States are increasingly taking retrogressive measures such as reducing spending on health by reducing national health budgets. The Special Rapporteur stresses that States have the burden of proving that deliberately retrogressive measures have been introduced after careful consideration of all alternatives and that they are justified under full use of the State party's maximum available resources.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 11
- Paragraph text
- An efficient and functional health system is crucial to ensure the availability of medicines, particularly essential medicines, in sufficient quantities, at all times and in all public health facilities. Under the right-to-health framework, States have an immediate obligation to take legal and administrative measures to ensure that access to essential medicines for their populations is secured by all available means. However, a third of the world's population, living mainly in developing countries, still do not have regular access to essential medicines. During the period 2001-2009, the average availability of essential medicines in public health facilities was only 42 per cent and in private sector facilities was 64 per cent. For chronic conditions, most of which require life-long access to medicines, the availability in public and private sectors was even poorer, at 36 per cent and 55 per cent respectively. Despite momentous gains in the past decade, only 8 million out of 14.8 million people living with HIV globally receive necessary treatment.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 17
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- Lack of data on the price difference between locally produced and imported medicines is also a drawback in promoting local production. To help determine the affordability of locally produced medicines in the long term, States should also collect disaggregated data on the prices of imported medicines in comparison to locally produced medicines.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 20
- Paragraph text
- According to the right-to-health framework, medicines should be economically accessible to all sectors of the population. Medicines should therefore be priced in a fair and equitable manner and be affordable so as to not disproportionately burden poorer households. This is an even greater problem in developing countries, where up to two-thirds of expenditure on medicines is individually financed through out-of-pocket payments. Such payments are primarily responsible for catastrophic health expenditures, annually pushing approximately 100 million people, mostly in developing countries, into poverty. Ensuring affordable and equitable pricing of essential medicines is therefore a key determinant of access to medicines in most developing countries.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- States which responded to the Special Rapporteur's survey reported on the use of price control mechanisms to promote affordability of medicines, particularly essential medicines. Accordingly, external reference pricing (ERP), therapeutic reference pricing (TRP), as well as the regulation of manufacturers' selling price and distributor's mark-ups, have been applied as the most common methods for setting a ceiling price for medicines. States also reported the use of competition law as the preferred indirect price control mechanism. Tax incentives to manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers and government subsidies to manufactures were indicated as other methods of indirect control used by States to control prices of medicines.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- According to the respondent States, ERP is the primary method used by regulatory bodies to set a retail price above which medicines cannot be sold to consumers. Under ERP, the price of a specific medicine in one or several countries is used as a benchmark to set or negotiate the price of medicines in a given country. Regrettably, some developing countries select developed countries, with higher medicines prices, as reference countries, resulting in substantially higher medicines prices. For example, in 23 developing countries, public sector prices for generic medicines were 1.9 to 3.7 times higher than even the international reference price (calculated at the median price of multi-sourced medicines offered to developing countries by different suppliers) and for originator brands, 5.3 to 20.5 times the international reference price. To secure the lowest price for medicines and enhance affordable and equitable access to essential medicines, purchasing States should therefore select reference countries whose level of economic development is similar to theirs. If States use high-price countries for referencing, they should adjust the benchmark price to the levels of local income per capita when setting prices.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 25
- Paragraph text
- Under the right to health, access to information includes providing consumers with information on the prices of medicines. This has been a good practice adopted in some States, which require by law that the maximum retail price of medicines be printed on medicine packages.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 29
- Paragraph text
- In some States, the use of health insurance schemes to reimburse patients the cost of essential medicines is common and vital to ensuring access to affordable medicines for people. This is done through the subsidizing of prescription medicines, usually from a preferred list of medicines, with patients making a co-payment for the medicines and the State bearing the remaining cost. The Special Rapporteur notes that the trade policies of some countries are pushing trade partners to establish judicial or administrative forums to determine when a reimbursement price unlawfully restricts the "value" of a patent on a medicine, thereby restraining the listing of such a medicine on the reimbursement schemes. At best, compelling governments to establish such forums is a waste of crucial administrative resources that could be spent delivering health goods and services. The Special Rapporteur therefore advises States to guard against trade interests prevailing over primary and immediate obligations to ensure access to affordable medicines.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 31
- Paragraph text
- States which responded to the Special Rapporteur's survey also recommended, as a good practice in reducing medicine prices, the regulation of the price at which manufacturers can sell medicines to intermediaries along with the regulation of distribution mark-ups in the supply chain. In this context, the Special Rapporteur urges States to assess the impact of distribution mark-up regulations on medicine prices while maintaining the viability of different actors in the supply chain to ensure security of the medicines supply chain.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- Taxes constitute the third largest component in price add-ons for medicines after the manufacturer's price and distribution mark-ups paid by the consumer. At the country level, the tax range for medicines is between 5 and 34 per cent. These can include State tax, stamp duties, community tax, State excise duties and freight tax. Taxes are applied variably depending on whether a medicine is locally produced or imported and sold in the in the public or private sector. Almost half of the States surveyed reported that taxes are not levied on medicines. Of those in which they are, some provide exemptions for medicines listed on the national essential medicines lists, donated medicines, antiretroviral drugs, imported generic medicines, cancer and diabetes medicines. The Special Rapporteur encourages States to refrain from taxing medicines, especially essential medicines, and instead consider other ways to generate revenue for health, such as so-called sin taxes - excise taxes levied on socially harmful goods such as tobacco, alcohol and junk foods.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 40
- Paragraph text
- In order to ensure availability of essential medicines, States should first identify medicines required to address priority health needs of the population under a national essential medicines list (NEML). This is consistent with States' core obligation to provide essential medicines listed in the WHO Essential Medicines List (EML). These include painkillers, anti-infectives, anti-bacterials, anti-tuberculosis, anti-retrovirals, blood products, cardiovascular medicines, vaccines and vitamins.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 46
- Paragraph text
- States have devised ingenious ways in resource-limited settings to ensure access to the most essential medicines, as was highlighted during the Special Rapporteur's consultations. For example, in one country essential medicines are classified into different segments as per product: vital medicines (e.g. emergency medicines), essential medicines (e.g. to treat fever, headaches) and necessary medicines (e.g. multivitamins). According to the procurement rules in that country, health facilities should procure the required quantity of vital medicines first, then essential, and finally necessary medicines. This helps minimize stock-outs affecting the most vital health concerns while more sustainable solutions are devised to meet the needs for other medicine. The Special Rapporteur encourages such innovative approaches, which are tailored to local conditions and are consistent with the core right to health obligation of ensuring the availability and accessibility of essential medicines.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 47
- Paragraph text
- Efficient and transparent procurement of medicines is central to ensuring the availability of medicines in sufficient quantities in all public health facilities. Procurement of medicines occurs at the international, national, regional and local levels. Inefficiencies of procurement at each level can cause unreliable medicine supplies and higher costs. An efficient procurement system is one that relies on transparent management, a limited drug selection that is based on a restricted list (for example, NEML), accurate and scientific forecasting of need, competitive tendering, bulk purchasing, pre-qualification of proposed suppliers and close monitoring of selected suppliers, and reliable financing. The Special Rapporteur is pleased to note that most States that responded to his questionnaire have formulated national medicine procurement policies.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- With respect to quantification of medicines needs, one developing country experience indicates reliance on historical data gathered from hospitals all over the country and the epidemiological pattern of disease, which are reviewed every six months. A 20 per cent buffer to account for shortages or seasonal increases in disease is then added. Stock shortages are nevertheless commonly reported in this State. Fewer than half of the respondent States had a policy in place to address medicines shortages. States attributed stock shortages to insufficient funding for procurement, inaccurate forecasting of needs, inadequate buffer stock of essential medicines, and inefficient distribution and record-keeping systems. Stock shortages can force patients to resort to more expensive private health centres, inappropriate medicines or even forego treatment altogether. Over-quantification of demand, on the other hand, is equally harmful, as it can lead to the wastage of scarce resources and the expiry of medicines, for which safe disposal systems are lacking in many States. States are therefore encouraged to develop more scientific, reliable and evidence-based methods for forecasting and quantification such as the use of computerized methods for quantification and reliance on data about actual consumption where there are reliable records available. Participation of civil society and the affected communities must be encouraged as it helps create information networks to monitor and inform competent health authorities on medicine stocks.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Access to medicines in the context of the right-to-health framework 2013, para. 49
- Paragraph text
- International shortage of medicines, especially cancer medicines, was also raised as an issue by civil society participants to the survey. Such shortages in medicines are attributed to a limited number of manufacturers, shortages of raw materials, production problems and stockpiling. They negatively impact States' ability to procure medicines for public health facilities and seriously affect their availability to patients. States should therefore identify particular medicines markets that face such shortages and promote the development of local production of these medicines to ensure supply sustainability in the long term.
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph