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(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown,
Guyana) The Council for Human and Social Development
(COHSOD) has approved a Caribbean Pharmaceutical
Policy (CPP) that will ensure the Caribbean’s access
to quality medicine at affordable prices.
The Policy will also assist in ensuring the
strengthening of regulatory authorities in the
Region.
During a Press Conference following the conclusion of
the Twenty-First Meeting of COHSOD on Health,
Minister of Health, Guyana, and current Chair of the
Council, Dr. the Hon. Leslie Ramsammy said that
COHSOD was unanimous in its support for the
implementation of the CPP.
The Pharmaceutical Policy forms an integral part of
national pharmaceutical policies developed by
Caribbean States and will be integrated as much as
possible in other policies related to Public Health.
The CPP outlines strategies for equitable access,
availability and affordability of all medicines. It
also provides for regional frameworks that would
“ensure the safety, efficacy, therapeutically sound
and cost-effective use of medicines by health
professionals and consumers.”
CARICOM has developed the Policy guided by the
principle that access to medicines is a fundamental
human right. Within this context, the policy aims to
strengthen collaboration among the national
pharmaceutical systems in the implementation of
mechanisms for joint negotiation for medicines
procurement.
Minister Ramsammy said that an important objective of
the CPP is to strengthen regulatory frameworks for
medicines at the regional level and increase
collaboration among CARICOM Member States in
ensuring the performance of essential components of
medicines regulations.
“We will take collective actions to support this
… and the regional bodies will help to strengthen
national bodies in regulating the entry of medicine
and commodities into the region,” Minister Ramsammy
explained.
In endorsing the policy, COHSOD also agreed to an
implementation mechanism which includes the
establishment of an Expanded Technical Advisory
Group on Pharmaceutical Policy (TECHPHARM).
This group has primary responsibility for overseeing
the implementation and assessment of the CCP. Part
of TECHPHARM’s responsibility includes the
development and implementation of strategies for
pooled negotiations and price monitoring of
medicines, concurrent with other sub-regional and
regional initiatives.
TECHPHARM will share responsibility with National
Health Authorities of participating countries, and
the Pan American Health Organisation, the World
Health Organisation along with the CARICOM
Secretariat will provide financial and technical
support.
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