ArticleGlobal health action2020
Universal access to essential medicines as part of the right to health: a cross-national comparison of national laws, medicines policies, and health system indicators.
Article in Global health action, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers.
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Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed.
- Fortifying essential medicines supply chains in Sub-Saharan Africa - the curious cases of Kenya and Uganda.Global health action · 2026Review
- Availability of adolescent mental, sexual and reproductive health services (ASRH) and technical efficiency of ASRH service delivery in Niger.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- Access to pediatric medicines in Albania: A qualitative study of family doctors' perceptions.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- Prices and Affordability of Essential Medicines in 72 Low-, Middle-, and High-Income Markets.JAMA health forum · 2025Article
- BeyondChemical reviews · 2025Review
- Article
- Compulsory licensing of pharmaceuticals during public health crisis: a TRIPS framework analysis.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Health commodities logistics management information system performance at public health facilities of Amhara region, Ethiopia.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Availability, pricing, and affordability of essential medicines for pediatric population in Malawi.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2024Article
- Availability of essential medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study examining experiences and level of preparedness in Kenya.PLOS global public health · 2024Article
- Anesthetic drug shortages in Pakistan: a multicentre nationwide survey.Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthesie · 2023Article
- How and why pharmaceutical reforms contribute to universal health coverage through improving equitable access to medicines: a case of Ghana.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
- An Inquiry into State Agreement and Practice on the International Law Status of the Human Right to Medicines.Health and human rights · 2022Article
- How should implementation of the human right to health be assessed? A scoping review of the public health literature from 2000 to 2021.International journal for equity in health · 2022Article
- The viewpoints of medical sciences wealth creators regarding the wealth creation strategies and path in medical sciences universities.Journal of education and health promotion · 2022Article
- Shortage of essential antimicrobials: a major challenge to global health security.BMJ global health · 2021Review
- Impact of the European Union on access to medicines in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review.The Lancet regional health. Europe · 2021Article
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Abstract
backgroundAccess to essential medicines for the world's poor and vulnerable has made little progress since 2000, except for a few specific medicines such as antiretrovirals for HIV/AIDS. Human rights principles written into national law can create a supportive environment for universal access to medicines; however, systematic research and policy guidance on this topic is lacking.
objectiveTo examine how international human rights law and WHO's essential medicines policies are embedded in national law for medicines affordability and financing, and interpreted and implemented in practice to promote universal access to essential medicines.
methodsThis thesis consists of (1) a cross-national content analysis of 192 national constitutions, 71 national medicines policies, and legislation for universal health coverage (UHC) from 16 mostly low- and middle-income countries; (2) a case study of medicines litigation in Uruguay, and (3) a follow-up report of eight right to health indicators for access to medicines from 195 countries.
resultsSome, but not all, of the 12 principles from human rights law and WHO's policy are embedded in national UHC law and medicines policies (part 1). Even the most rights-compliant legislation for access to medicines is subject to the unique and inconsistent interpretation of domestic courts, which may be inconsistent with the right to health in international law (part 2). Many national health systems for which data were available still fail to meet the official targets for eight indicators of access to medicines (part 3).
conclusionsInternational human rights law and WHO policy are embedded in national law for essential medicines and practically implemented in national health systems. Law makers can use these findings and the example texts in this thesis as a starting point for writing and monitoring governments' rights-based legal commitments for access to medicines. Future research should study the effect of national law on access to medicines and population health.
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