ACCESS TO MEDICINES AND HEALTH PRODUCTS – WHO guideline on country pharmaceutical pricing policies

The document focuses on the “WHO Guideline on Country Pharmaceutical Pricing Policies.” The primary objective of this guideline is to provide countries with evidence-based recommendations and strategies to manage pharmaceutical product prices effectively. The guideline defines pharmaceutical pricing policies as a set of written principles or requirements for managing the prices of pharmaceutical products. These policies are agreed upon or adopted by public institutions, purchasing organizations, or individual health services. The primary audience for this guideline includes policy-makers and decision-makers responsible for introducing and revising price-management policies.

The document provides specific recommendations regarding ten pricing policies that countries can adapt based on their health system’s objectives and context. Some of these policies include external reference pricing, internal reference pricing, and value-based pricing. Each policy recommendation is accompanied by conditions under which it should be implemented, ensuring its effectiveness.

For instance, external reference pricing should be used in conjunction with other pricing policies, such as price negotiation. It should also be based on verifiable data sources, and methods for determining prices should follow a transparent process. Similarly, value-based pricing should be used alongside other pricing policies and requires adequate resources and skilled personnel for implementation.