Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38690551›Full record

ArticleJournal of pharmaceutical policy and practice2024

Developing Nepal's medicines pricing policy: evidence synthesis and stakeholders' consultation.

Zaheer-Ud-Din Babar, Santosh Dulal, Narayan Prasad Dhakal, Madan Kumar Upadhyaya, Birna Trap

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of pharmaceutical policy and practice, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Zaheer-Ud-Din BabarDepartment of Pharmacy, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1051-3240
Santosh DulalUSAID Medicines, Technologies, and Pharmaceutical Services (MTaPS) Program, Management Sciences for Health, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Narayan Prasad DhakalDepartment of Drug Administration, Ministry of Health and Population, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Madan Kumar UpadhyayaQuality Standard and Regulation Division, Ministry of Health and Population, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Birna TrapUSAID Medicines, Technologies, and Pharmaceutical Services (MTaPS) Program, Management Sciences for Health, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objectives: The objectives of this paper are to (a) explore stakeholders' opinions regarding Nepal's existing medicines pricing practices/situation and (b) build and present a set of medicines pricing policies for Nepal. Methods: A review of the literature and field visits to community retail pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, wholesalers, and distributor outlets in Kathmandu were conducted to assess the medicines pricing situation. Following the literature review, preliminary meetings with stakeholders and field visits were held and a draft interview guide was prepared. Consultative sessions subsequently were undertaken in Kathmandu, Nepal, in January 2023 with representatives from the Department of Drug Administration, Ministry of Health and Population, Association of Pharmaceutical Producers of Nepal, consumer groups, Transparency International, Medicines Importers Association of Nepal/ Pharmaceutical Distributors Association of Nepal, Nepal Chemist and Druggist Association, and Nepal Pharmaceutical Association. Notes were taken during these meetings regarding issues and concerns raised as well as experiences and recommendations for the future, as outlined in the interview guide. Results: The stakeholders in general stated that they do not have any objection to price regulation; however, they believe such regulation should be subject to periodic review. Both the importers and the Ministry of Health and Population have the view that an independent body/authority should be charged with regulating the prices of medicines. A set of policy options to be considered for use in Nepal include cost-plus pricing, external price referencing, internal reference pricing, and mark-up regulations. Conclusion: Key issues related to pricing were identified and suggest that a set of pricing policies and updated regulations need to be considered to establish changes that are transparent, rational, and acceptable to the related stakeholders. Hence, suggestions made in this paper could be useful to inform a rational and fair pricing structure and to improve access to medicines.

Identifiers

PMID38690551
PMCPMC11060005

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.