Context:
The Access to Medicine Foundation recently released its 2024 Index Report, which evaluates the efforts of pharmaceutical companies to improve access to medicines in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). This assessment highlights the various strategies and initiatives pharmaceutical companies are undertaking to address health care disparities despite persistent challenges.
Relevance:
GS II: Health
Dimensions of the Article:
- Highlights of the Access to Medicine Index Report 2024
- Needs and Challenges in Accessing Medicines in LMICs
Highlights of the Access to Medicine Index Report 2024
Clinical Trial Disparities:
- Limited Representation: Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which house 80% of the world’s population, only conduct 43% of global clinical trials. This restricts LMIC populations from participating in the development of new medicines and delays their access to innovative treatments.
Distribution of Technology and Licenses:
- Concentration in Few Countries: Voluntary licensing and technology transfers are largely concentrated in countries like Brazil, China, and India, leaving regions like sub-Saharan Africa with limited access to medicines.
Inclusive Business Models:
- Lack of Strategic Focus: While some pharmaceutical companies adopt inclusive business models, over 61% of products assessed do not have specific strategies targeting low-income countries, emphasizing ongoing inequalities.
Research and Development Trends:
- Shifting Priorities: There is a noticeable decline in R&D investments for diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases that predominantly affect LMICs.
Equity in Access:
- Call for Improvement: The report underscores the urgent need for pharmaceutical companies to enhance their efforts and develop transparent strategies for equitable access to medicines.
Needs and Challenges in Accessing Medicines in LMICs
Health Burdens:
- Dual Disease Burden: LMICs grapple with both infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which overload their fragile healthcare systems. WHO reports show 86% of premature NCD deaths occur in LMICs.
Essential Healthcare Supplies:
- Need for Affordable Solutions: There is a critical need for affordable, high-quality medicines, diagnostics, and vaccines to tackle these challenges and reduce preventable mortality.
Local Manufacturing:
- Strengthening Capabilities: Enhancing local pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution networks is vital for ensuring a reliable supply of essential medicines and reducing dependency on imports.
Economic and Infrastructure Barriers:
- High Costs and Poor Infrastructure: Economic barriers, such as the high cost of medications and out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, significantly hinder access. Additionally, inadequate transportation and cold chain facilities impair efficient medicine distribution, especially in rural areas.
Regulatory and Supply Chain Issues:
- Regulatory Weaknesses: Weak regulatory frameworks lead to the proliferation of substandard and counterfeit medicines, compromising treatment efficacy and safety. Supply chain disruptions during crises further exacerbate medicine shortages.
Focus of Pharmaceutical Innovation:
- Neglected Diseases: Pharmaceutical innovation often overlooks diseases that are prevalent in LMICs, such as maternal health and childhood illnesses, focusing instead on conditions more common in high-income countries.
Healthcare Professional Shortage:
- Limited Medical Staff: A shortage of trained healthcare professionals in LMICs restricts appropriate prescription and medication management, especially in rural areas.
Cultural and Educational Barriers:
- Low Health Literacy: Cultural beliefs and low health literacy levels complicate adherence to prescribed treatments, challenging efforts to ensure equitable access to essential medicines.
-Source: The Hindu
