Improving access to quality essential medicines in Kyrgyzstan

In June 2017, Kyrgyzstan introduced 3 new laws on medicines and medical devices. This was an important step towards establishing equitable access to quality essential medicines for the country’s people. National health authorities worked on developing these laws for several years, and WHO actively contributed to the process and promoted the adoption.

The new law on medicines allows the state to regulate the prices of essential medicines, making them more affordable. Protective mechanisms, such as high requirements for drug testing and a strict approach to issuing an authorization for sale, prevent poor-quality products from entering the market.

The state can now monitor the effectiveness and side effects of drugs that have already been allowed onto the market through post-marketing control measures. High-quality medical products will now enter the market more easily, because medicines that have already been tested by strong regulatory authorities – such as WHO, the United States Food and Drug Administration, or the European Medicines Agency – will be given preference.

In order to implement the new laws effectively, the country must increase the capacity of governmental institutions and authorities responsible for the regulation of the pharmaceutical sector. WHO is assisting this process by supporting the Kyrgyz national Drug Regulatory Agency in conducting a self-assessment and producing an institutional development plan. The Agency plays a key role, serving as a gatekeeper for medicines entering the national market.

To further promote health equity, Kyrgyzstan recently updated its national list of essential medicines. This document provides guidance on which medicines are considered most effective and safe, meet the most important needs in the country’s health system, and therefore should be accessible and affordable for the population. The updated national list contains 85% of the medicines on the WHO model list, which recommends medicines with proven clinical efficacy and safety as well as comparative cost–effectiveness.

Improving access to quality essential medicines for the population is a significant measure for strengthening the country’s health system. It is also an integral step forward on the path to universal health coverage, which Kyrgyzstan set out to achieve when it adopted the Sustainable Development Goals.