Raffaella’s Literature Update

Raffaella’s Literature Update

The following message is courtesy of Dr Raffaella Ravinetto, Public Health Department, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Belgium.

Dear Friends, 

On 14 May, the WHO released the document “WHO guideline on balanced national controlled medicines policies to ensure medical access and safety: rapid communication” – accessible at https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/381452/B09419-eng.pdf?sequence=1

The purpose is ‘to assist WHO Member States and their partners in developing and implementing balanced national controlled medicines policies to ensure their accessibility, availability and affordability for medical and scientific uses and to minimize the risk of harm arising from non-medical use‘.  [Reminder: controlled substances include opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, dissociative anaesthetics, cannabinoids, hallucinogens and amphetamine-type stimulants].

This is NOT the finalized guideline: “the full WHO guideline on balanced national controlled medicines policies to ensure medical access and safety will be released in 2025.” However, it is worth to already look at the new recommendations and good practice statements herein, and in particular at the Guiding principles, strongly rooted in human rights (the bold characters are from me):  

1. All people have the right to enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. 
2. Controlled medicines are crucial for managing many health conditions and treating illness. Access to essential controlled medicines is a component of the rights to both health and life. 
3. National policies pertaining to controlled medicines should be balanced to enable safe and appropriate use, ensuring access for medical and scientific need (that is uninterrupted, sustainable and continuous) while avoiding harmful consequences for individuals and societies. 
4. All national policies should be tailored to the needs and requirements of the social context and resources of the population, while recognizing individuals’ right to the highest attainable standard of health. 
5. Member States and health-care providers should ensure that patients, their families and their caregivers know their rights to self-determination, non-discrimination, accessible and appropriate health services and confidentiality.  
6. Governments should invite patients, advocacy groups, health professionals, academia, professional societies, civil society and other affected groups to participate in formulation of health policy.

Have a nice reading,

Raffaella