Optimizing Access to Medicines: A Crucial Step Forward
Lower prices for certain medicines improve access to treatment, but shortages, household health spending and supply challenges remain.
As part of an effort to make pharmaceutical treatments more accessible to all households, several medicines have recently seen their prices reduced. This commendable initiative is nevertheless facing a medicine shortage that has persisted since the beginning of the year, as the provisions of the Finance Law are not yet fully operational.
Unveiled in early March by the Official Bulletin, a list of 13 medicines showed significant price reductions. Among them, Cade-lius 600 mg, Malanil 250 mg/100 mg, Neulastim 6MG, Lamivir HBV 100, Temozolomide ISIO 20 mg and Zeffix 100 mg, to name only a few, all benefited from notable price cuts. This initiative not only has a direct impact on access to care, but also generates substantial savings for health-insurance funds.
However, despite these advances, many challenges remain. Moroccan households currently bear up to 60% of health expenditure, with 30% devoted to medicines, a considerable burden. Encouraging the use of generic medicines could be an effective solution, as high prescription rates in other countries show. Supporting the national medicines industry and promoting effective governance of therapeutic use are also essential to ensure sustainable access to treatment.
At the same time, a worrying shortage of certain medicines has persisted for several months, exacerbated by recent changes to the Finance Law. This crisis, fueled by problems in the supply of raw materials, endangers patients’ health, particularly when vital medicines are unavailable. Although corrective measures are underway, it is imperative to find sustainable solutions to prevent such situations in the future and ensure continuous access to the necessary treatments for all citizens.