Equitable access to health products is a global priority, and the availability, accessibility, acceptability, and affordability of health products of assured quality need to be addressed in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular target 3.8. Every disease management strategy requires access to health products for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, palliative care and rehabilitation.
Access is a global concern, given the high prices of new pharmaceuticals and rapidly changing markets for health products that place increasing pressure on all health systems’ ability to provide full and affordable access to quality health care. The high percentage of health spending on medicines (20–60% as demonstrated in a series of studies in selected low and middle-income countries) impedes progress for the many countries that have committed to the attainment of universal health coverage. Furthermore, it is known that a large proportion of the population in low-income countries who spend for health do pay out-of-pocket for medicines. With the rise in noncommunicable diseases – many of which are chronic conditions that require long-term treatment – the financial burden on both governments and patients will become even greater.
