Towards a Medicines Transparency Alliance MeTA

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Towards a Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA)

• Daniel Graymore
• Business Alliances Team

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Problem Opacity hides a multitude of sins

• But transparency can help
• Scrutiny of process
• Identify real problems
• Empower patients / consumers
• Tackle corruption

• Excessive mark-ups
• Corruption
• Poor forecasting
• Short term procurement
• Lack of capacity
• Leakage/diversion
• Poor quality/counterfeit drugs

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The MeTA Proposal

• Secure high level political commitment to broker
  agreement amongst government and the private
  sector in participating countries to disclose
  prices as well as quantity and quality
  information into the public domain.
• Do this through a multi-stakeholder approach -
  government, civil society, industry.
• Place particular emphasis on the role of civil
  society in the design of the initiative and the
  dissemination and use of the results.
• To support all of this with political, technical
  and financial support from the international
  community
• The ultimate objective is to make quality
  medicines more affordable and accessible.

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International Community
Multistakeholder group International
commitment Financial, technical and political
support
WHO
HAI
Other initiatives at the country level
WB
MeTA
Scoping exercise Political commitment Multi-stak
eholder group Standardised disclosure Public
reports
Donors
Pricing surveys
capacity building
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How MeTA might work?
International distributor / Pharma company
(branded or generic)
Procurement Agent (s) (Public,
Private)
Wholesaler
Distributor
Retailer / health unit
Patient
Pharma/suppliers, procurement agents and
wholesalers disclose prices, quantity and quality
information to independent third party who
reconciles information, identifies discrepancies,
assesses prices, and makes recommendations for
future action.
This information is in put in the public domain
in a report - which includes sample pharmacy
prices - for civil society and other stakeholders
to use to increase scrutiny and improve pricing,
quantity and quality outcome.
Price information is disclosed at each point
along the supply chain to an independent third
party who reconciles information, identifies
discrepancies, assesses prices, and makes
recommendations for future action. This analysis
is put into the public domain so that civil
society and other stakeholders can use it.
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Incentives
Pharmaceutical companies (generic and
patent) Accurate information on pricing Proactive
role Improved procurement, inc. forecasting
(virtuous circle) Achieve public health
objectives Reduce pressure for inappropriate
behaviour Wholesales, distributors,
retailers New support for building
capacity Improved market operation Tackle
corruption and wasteful practices
Support and commitment from international
community Improved procurement and supply Better
public health outcomes Commitment to tackle
corruption Commitment to financial probity and
good governance
Gov
Increased information Place at the
table Supportive environment for
advocacy Financial and other support Improved
dialogue with public and private sectors
Civil society
Private sector
Int. institutions
Donors
Good governance agenda Tackle corruption Increase
access to medicines Support responsible
business Fiduciary duty on aid exp.
Advance good governance agenda Promote ethical
pharma procuement and supply Improve health
outcomes
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Next steps

• Continued consultation with key stakeholders
• Technical discussions on key issues
• Stakeholder workshop (late Feb)
• Undertake scoping studies in 3 5 potential
  pilot countries (Jan. 06 Feb. 07)
• Develop proposed pilots (Jan. Apr. 07)
• Launch Pilots (Apr. July. 07)
• Pilots run for 12 18 months
• Identify lessons, refine model and open up to new
  implementers (Jul. 08 onwards)