[e-drug] Returned medicines and drug donations (17)

["Lori Warrens" <lwarrens@pqmd.org>]

E-DRUG: Returned medicines and drug donations (17)


Dear Dr. Kamal-Yanni,

I would like to respond to your question to Jim Russo about PQMD's mission
and hopefully correct any misconceptions about our organization.  I am the
Executive Director of the Partnership for Quality Medical Donations (PQMD).

PQMD was created in 1996 to address poor donation practices.  PQMD was the
first U.S. organization to contribute to and endorse the revised 1999 WHO
Interagency Guidelines on Drug Donations. PQMD also sponsored the first
systematic assessment of U.S. pharmaceutical donations conducted by the
Harvard School of Public Health. Since its creation PQMD, has sponsored a
wide range of activities all designed to support the appropriate use of high
quality medical donations as an important component of the international
healthcare system.  As such, PQMD does not support using unused or returned
medicines; its mission is to support and proliferate high-quality donation
practices.  PQMD does not advocate for the use of donations as the solution
to the need for greater access to medicines in the developing world, but
does view donations as one mechanism -- where appropriate -- to provide
needed healthcare in resource-constrained settings.

Our organization is a unique partnership of organizations that share a
commitment to responsible and effective medical donations. PQMD members
include a select group of medical product manufacturers and non-governmental
organizations that use medical donations to support their international
humanitarian health programs.  Our activities include; promoting adherence
to donation guidelines; educating stakeholders and sharing best practices;
and supporting working collaborations between healthcare companies that
donate products and the humanitarian agencies.

PQMD member donations and programs are helping to meet healthcare needs in
developing countries two ways.  Just over 84% of the donations in 2005 were
used to provide a bridge to sustainable health services by supplying
under-resourced healthcare programs and Ministries of Health with needed
resources.  The remaining 16% was used to meet the immediate needs of
victims of natural disasters and other emergencies.  Together our members
contributed just over $3 billion worth of medical products in 2005.  These
products come from a combination of donation and philanthropy programs
including, produce-to-donate medicines, excess product that meets WHO
guidelines and product purchased to donate.  PQMD member donations are only
sent in response to a specific request by trusted NGOs.  

I would be happy to respond to any other questions you may have about PQMD.

Best Wishes,

Lori

Lori Warrens
Executive Director 
The Partnership for Quality Medical Donations

phone: (770) 887-8607
mobile: (404) 402-4029
fax: (866) 230-7862
email: lwarrens@pqmd.org