Addressing the global challenges related to medicines

Universal health coverage can only be achieved when there is affordable access to safe, effective and quality medicines and health products. Worldwide, countries face a range of obstacles to achieving this, including rising prices for new medicines, shortages and stock outs of essential medicines and the growing problem of substandard and falsified medical products entering the global supply chain. Added to this, there are other challenges to ensuring that medicines are not only available, but are prescribed and used appropriately.

The field of Global Pharmacy aims to promote equitable access for all populations to

- effective, safe, good quality and affordable medicines

- good practices for rational and responsible use of medicines

in order to positively impact global health.

This course is delivered by a series of experts covering the main topics of Global Pharmacy (see program below). It will develop students’ understanding of what are the main challenges related to medicines and how they can impact global health. Through the different sessions, students will acquire knowledge on the various problems encountered and discuss the importance of interprofessionality and collaboration across different sectors to design effective strategies to prevent or overcome them.