The New Straits Times, September 12, 1997
Pharmaceuticals have made significant contributions to the reduction in mortality and morbidity over the years.
However, ensuring the availability of high quality drugs is not something that should be taken for granted unless the appropriate policy is being put in place and enforced.
In fact, many countries are facing a lack of safe and effective drugs - even the most basic ones - just because there is no policy framework that would ensure otherwise.
In other cases the drugs are "irrationally" used, giving rise to many unwarranted risks as discussed last week (NST, Sept 5).
Thus, in trying to overcome such problems, the World Health Organisation urges countries to develop national drug policies that specify national pharmaceutical goals and provide broad working principles for all parties involved.
These policies are developed based on the "essential drugs concept" as the over-arching philosophy so that the majority of the population can get access to medicines at affordable prices.
Among the key components of a national drug policy are:
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the establishment of appropriate legislation and regulation
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the selection of essential drugs and the registration process
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the development of relevant financing policy
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the maintenance of a significant drug allocation in the health budget
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the improvement of procurement procedures
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the strengthening of drug distribution and logistics
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the establishment of a drug-pricing policy
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the role of information and continuing education programmes to improve drug use.
As such, they apply equally to the public and the private sectors in the attempt to bring about more equitable health care to the society.
In fact, these key components can be used as indicators to monitor the progress in the development and implementation of a drug policy on a nationwide basis.
For a national drug policy to produce a meaningful impact, it needs a multi-dimensional and intersectoral participation.
First of all, it must, however, be firmly entrenched in the community, being the main benefactor, since the core goal of policy is equitable access to essential drugs.
Nevertheless, the involvement of decision makers and policy planners in government sectors is just as crucial.
By demonstrating the necessary political will, the Government, for example, can provide leadership and the right approach towards a just and more equitable health-care environment.
In consonant with this, the health professionals must be equally active in abiding by the policy and giving support to the Government in fully implementing it.
The media, too, has a significant role to play in keeping the public informed about the rational use of drugs, while schools and universities are the key in educating and creating knowledgeable health-care providers as well as consumers.
The drug industry should also pull together, especially those involved in producing drugs that are relevant to the national essential drugs list.
Unfortunately, in reality the implementation of a national drug policy is not as easy as it seems.
Invariably, there are certain quarters who will feel threatened by such a progressive policy. Other countries have seen groups and associations of health professional raising objections to such a policy being implemented.
In one country, court injunction were obtained in the attempt to derail efforts in implementing the policy. In other cases, there were drug companies - especially those not subscribing to the essential drugs list - who tired to pressure governments to abandon such policies.
It has been documented that foreign drug firms are particularly prone to resort to these arm-twisting tactics because of fear that their bottom lines will be drastically reduced.
Indeed, most of those who are opposed to the introduction of a national drug policy are more concerned about their own profit rather than the health of the majority.
It is precisely because of this that the implementation of a national drug policy is important to any responsible government.
In delivering the keynote address during a seminar on "Essential Drugs Concept - An International Perspective" in Penang earlier this month, the Director-General of Health said that it is now timely for Malaysia to seriously consider a national drug policy. Given the emerging trends affecting health-care development in Malaysia, this is indeed an important observation.
Moreover, Malaysia has all along implemented many of the key components of such a policy; and it is only a matter of complementing if further with other aspects like the essential drugs concept.
Thus, by formalising a national drug policy, Malaysia would have a more comprehensive set of laws on pharmaceuticals for both the public and private sectors.
Not only will the rights of the citizens be further protected, the health-care system will be more just and the country as a whole can be self-reliant in the pharmaceutical sector, unlike what it is today.
What's more, with current ailing economic condition facing Malaysians, a national drug policy is one prescription that should not be missed at al cost.
