Availability and affordability of medicines and assessment of quality systems for prescription of medicines in the Republic of Moldova: final report

An overall assessment of the pharmaceutical sector in the Republic of Moldova was performed during 2011–2012, with the purpose of providing the Ministry of Health with comprehensive evidence regarding access to essential medicines of good quality. This report presents the results, based on a secondary analysis of evidence collected during a series of assessments conducted by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Moldova, the Medicines Agency, Nicolae Testemitanu Republic of Moldova State Medical and Pharmaceutical University, and Health Action International. The assessments covered the areas of: public procurement; main regulatory functions; availability, affordability, prices and price components of essential medicines; and an evaluation of the essential list of medicines, prescribing practices and pricing policies. The main recommendations of the report provide insights into ways of improving regulatory and procurement practices, along with the best methods to constrain the costs of medicines.