Saturday, March 18, 2006

How To Get Rid Of Plastic Taste In Camelback

MEDICINES FOR EVERYONE TO KICK

MEDICINES FOR EVERYONE

One of the major public health problems is the lack of access to medicines. Only one of every four Peruvians is affiliated with EsSalud and may request free medications, which sometimes are not available. The same goes with SIS, which only covers children and pregnant women. To be really the right to health, everyone should have access to medicines of assured quality, which many poor in our country fail. Several

candidates have placed emphasis on promoting universal insurance for all people, but until this becomes a reality is a long way to go. Cheaper medicines must be a fundamental policy, because it reduces the impact on the pockets of those who have to buy and release public budget to expand health care to most Peruvians.

A first policy should be to promote competition. In the market for the product brand drugs can cost up to ten or twenty times more than similar generic. The government should facilitate that people can choose the product you choose. This requires you to monitor all prescriptions with generic name (What is known as the international nonproprietary name), so that when we go to the pharmacy can choose between different options. You must also ensure the quality of all the medicines, so there is no doubt that a generic has the same healing effects that a branded product. The government also should have a policy of information, through advertisements and the Internet where we can compare the Peruvians. Finally, the Ministry of Health should ensure that all districts and neighborhoods, some of the pharmacies are open 24 hours 7 days a week, selling generic products of assured quality at affordable prices. Tenders public to supply the distribution chain should be carefully monitored and implemented drastic sanctions officials and corrupt businesses that profit improperly from a sensitive issue such as health and life of Peruvians.

On the other hand, patent rules to protect monopolies and allow transnational corporations to set prices at will, should be properly regulated. This FTA will extend the monopoly power of large international laboratories should not be accepted. But even before NAFTA, multinationals have 20 years of patent protection in which they have a closed market just for them but may have competition. The government should, benefit from the flexibility which allows the betrayal of Doha World Trade Organization, declare that medicines for HIV / AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, cancer, heart disease, mental health and other priorities, even when they are protected by patents, may be produced or imported as generics. It would break the monopoly on these products allow healthy competition.

Much can be done to make medicines available to all Peruvians. Universal insurance financed by public budget is an important way, but to regulate the market and avoid monopoly abuse is another key measure that parties and candidates should consider in this election.

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