This session will be addressing the controversial topic of pharmaceutical drug pricing and its worldwide societal impact. The controversy resides in the fact that the actual cost for developing and manufacturing a single drug varies widely and in some instances is grossly over-inflated. Although the introduction of new manufacturing technologies and computer modeling systems have significantly shortened the time required to bring a new drug to market, the final cost of drugs to most consumers in the U.S. and abroad remains prohibitive. This problem is further exacerbated by the fact that almost all new drugs that receive FDA-approval are protected by patents which sometimes exceed the normal twenty-year protection period. This limits the accessibility and affordability of these life-saving drugs to poor countries and financially vulnerable populations. The aim of this session is to uncover cost-effective drug manufacturing approaches, distribution channels, and make a case for patent-free drugs in the fight to lower the price of prescription drugs worldwide.
Importance of last-mile delivery of drugs and their rational use by end-users for improved health outcomes
Patrick Gaparayi (UNICEF, Denmark)
Serge Afeli (Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy, USA)
Frank Gupton (Virginia Commonwealth University, USA)