Recommendations of the Expert Committee for the Selection and inclusion of Medicines in the PAHO’s Strategic Fund 2015. Washington

Abstract

The PAHO Regional Revolving Fund for Strategic Public Health Supplies (hereinafterreferred to as the PAHO Strategic Fund or the Strategic Fund), was created in 1999 by the then Director of PAHO at the request of Member States of the Organization. This regional mechanism primarily aims at strengthening the supply and management of essential public health supplies in Member States by providing technical cooperation and procuring quality, safe, and effective supplies at affordable prices by leveraging the advantages of economies of scale. To this end, the Strategic Fund publishes a list of medicines available for procurement in behalf of the Organization’s Member States. The list utilizes the World Health Organization (WHO) Essential Medicines List (EML) as a foundation. Recently, the Strategic Fund has received requests from Member States regarding medicines that are not included in the WHO EML. In response, the Director of PAHO established an external committee charged with reviewing requests for inclusion of medicines not currently listed in the WHO EML and making recommendations to the Director of PAHO based on its objective and independent review and analysis. This committee’s main objective is to allow PAHO to implement a decision making process for the selection of medicines based on comparative efficacy, safety, and, when information is available, on the value added by the medicine in comparison to its cost. Recommendations will be based on reviews of evidence that support the efficacy and safety of the presented medicines, and will provide an analysis of the therapeutic and economic advantages with respect to the medicines already incorporated on the PAHO Strategic Fund Medicine List. The Director of PAHO will review the committee’s recommendations and make a final decision for inclusion or not into the PAHO Strategic Fund Medicine List...