The high cost of medicine poses a significant barrier to healthcare access worldwide, irrespective of socioeconomic status. Achieving #HealthForAll necessitates fair pricing for medicines, addressing accessibility disparities across income brackets. Pharmaceutical pricing involves a delicate balance between innovation incentives and equitable access. Companies invest heavily in research and development, aiming to recoup costs through pricing strategies, often resulting in unaffordable medications. The pharmaceutical supply chain's complexities, including mark-ups from manufacturers to retailers, contribute to inflated retail prices. This disproportionately affects low-income individuals, compromising their ability to afford even modest medication expenses and forcing trade-offs with basic needs. Middle-income earners, ineligible for healthcare assistance yet unable to afford out-of-pocket expenses, face similar challenges. High-income individuals, while more financially flexible, still grapple with rising healthcare costs, especially for chronic conditions or emergencies. Addressing pharmaceutical pricing demands transparency, competition promotion, and access to generic alternatives. Investments in cost-effective treatments and preventive measures can mitigate long-term healthcare expenses. Expanding healthcare coverage and social safety nets are critical for vulnerable populations. Prioritizing equitable medication access ensures #HealthForAll, minimizing financial barriers to healthcare. #MedicineAffordability #HealthEquity #PharmaPricing #AccessToMeds #HealthcareForAll #FairDrugPricing #MedicationAccess #AffordableHealthcare #GlobalHealth #HealthJustice
Director General at World Health Organization
The costs of medicine are still a major barrier for many people. Delivering #HealthForAll includes fair pricing for medicines: fair for those who use them, those who make them, and those who pay for them. This is what the World Health Organization Fair Pricing Forum is about: https://lnkd.in/enZfkTtN
