Essential medicines and pharmaceuticals policy

Essential medicines can save lives, reduce suffering and improve health. But to do so, they must be available and affordable, of good quality and properly used.

In developing countries, problems with access to essential medicines remain a serious public health challenge. The Pharmaceuticals Programme of WHO in the Western Pacific Region is guided by the Regional Framework for Action on Access to Essential Medicines in the Western Pacific (2011-2016). The programme activities fall under three broad areas, namely:

• Policy and access
• Medicine regulation and quality assurance
• Rational selection and use

Issues and challenges

National medicines policy, access to essential medicines, irrational use of medicines by providers and consumers

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Goals and objectives

To help save lives and improve health by ensuring equitable access to safe, efficacious and quality-assured essential medicines that are appropriately used by providers and consumers

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Activities and achievements

See activities in different areas: policy and access, medicines regulation, quality assurance and rational drug use

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Regional access strategy 2011-2016

Over the past 25 years, WHO has strongly advocated the essential medicines concept as part of national medicines policies

• Regional Framework for Action on Access to Esential Medicines in the Western Pacific (2011-2016)