Unitaid commits US $21.4 million to the WHO prequalification programme

Unitaid has supported the prequalification programme for medicines since 2006 and for diagnostics since 2009. The decision, taken in July, to invest a further US$ 21.4 million increases the value of Unitaid’s total investment to date to over US$ 124 million. With around one third to be spent on diagnostics and two thirds on medicines, Unitaid’s support to WHO’s prequalification programme through to December 2018 will be used to cover activities related to HIV/TB/Malaria/HCV products specifically, with the following objectives:

• 62 products will be assessed, and if meeting the necessary standards, will be made available for procurement by international agencies and national governments;
• WHO will continue to monitor and maintain prequalified products through post market surveillance and/or requalification;
• WHO will work with governments and national regulatory authorities in low- and middle-income countries to implement the ‘collaborative registration procedure’ for 50 , so patients can access them more quickly;
• Patient safety and appropriate use of two new products will be ensured in at least six countries (e.g. bedaquiline, and dolutegravir for the treatment of multi-drug resistant TB and HIV/AIDS, respectively).

For more on WHO’s Prequalification programme: Check out the WHO website

Source: Unitaid