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Consumables
- Medical Equipment
- Pharmaceuticals
The availability, effectiveness and control of consumables
such as pharmaceuticals can be an important issue for policy makers
in developing and developed countries to consider. Advances made
in psychopharmacology during the last 2 decades of the 20th century
radically altered the treatability and treatment of most mental
illness. (118)
The newer classes of medications (e.g. atypical antipsychotics)
however are "much more expensive than the older agents and many
health plans (in developed countries) have chosen to severely
limit their use"(119)
due to this increased cost.
In developing countries access to effective, affordable
pharmaceuticals is a major challenge. "Pharmaceutical expenditures
in poor countries typically account for between 10 and 30% of
total recurrent costs of public sector health expenditures, ranking
second after salaries. (120)
These high expenditures and the involvement of the public and
private sector at national and international levels, make drugs
a high priority for policy makers.
Policy makers in all countries may need to consider
whether medication is available, effective and affordable and
the political implications of policy development and reform in
this area. (121)
Example
In Africa access to modern psychotropic medication is extremely
limited due to cost and patents on these compounds prohibit local
production of the drugs in cheaper forms for local use. (122)
Example
In Ghana "attempts to control the quality of herbal preparations
through clinical trials and other biomedical research has meant
that the costs of the final products have risen well beyond the
means of many ordinary people, thereby undermining ease of access
normally associated with traditional medicine." (123)
Example
In parts of Africa anti-depressants are extremely limited or unavailable.
Cheaper medications are often more available but less effective.
Policy makers need to consider not only the availability of medication
but also the quality of the drugs that are available. (First
Meeting of the African Region, Consortium for Mental Health Policy
and Services, Lusaka, Zambia, 27-29 November, 2000)
Example
"An estimated 39 million people in the world suffer from epilepsy,
but some 30 million of them-almost three out of every four-get
almost no help for the condition…In developing countries 60-90%
of people with epilepsy are excluded from treatment" (124)
despite the availability of low cost and effective
treatments such as Phenobarbital. Inadequate supplies of anti-epileptic
drugs has been identified as one of the obstacles to people in
poor countries receiving this needed treatment.
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