Legislating for Good Governance in the Pharmaceutical Sector through UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) Compliance.

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  • Author(s): Wong A;Wong A; Perehudoff K; Perehudoff K; Kohler JC; Kohler JC
  • Source:
    Global public health [Glob Public Health] 2024 Jan; Vol. 19 (1), pp. 2350649. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 May 16.
  • Publication Type:
    Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Language:
    English
  • Additional Information
    • Source:
      Publisher: Informa Healthcare Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 101256323 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1744-1706 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 17441692 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Glob Public Health Subsets: MEDLINE
    • Publication Information:
      Publication: London : Informa Healthcare
      Original Publication: Abingdon, UK : Routledge, c2006-
    • Subject Terms:
      Drug Industry*/legislation & jurisprudence ; United Nations*; Humans ; Private Sector ; Fraud/prevention & control ; Public Sector
    • Abstract:
      Pharmaceutical sector corruption undermines patient access to medicines by diverting public funds for private gain and exacerbating health inequities . This paper presents an analysis of UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) compliance in seven countries and examines how full UNCAC adoption may reduce corruption risks within four key pharmaceutical decision-making points: product approval, formulary selection, procurement, and dispensing. Countries were selected based on their participation in the Medicines Transparency Alliance and the WHO Good Governance for Medicines Programme. Each country's domestic anti-corruption laws and policies were catalogued and analysed to evaluate their implementation of select UNCAC Articles relevant to the pharmaceutical sector. Countries displayed high compliance with UNCAC provisions on procurement and the recognition of most public sector corruption offences. However, several countries do not penalise private sector bribery or provide statutory protection to whistleblowers or witnesses in corruption proceedings, suggesting that private sector pharmaceutical dispensing may be a decision-making point particularly vulnerable to corruption. Fully implementing the UNCAC is a meaningful first step that countries can take reduce pharmaceutical sector corruption. However, without broader commitment to cultures of transparency and institutional integrity, corruption legislation alone is likely insufficient to ensure long-term, sustainable pharmaceutical sector good governance.
    • Contributed Indexing:
      Keywords: Corruption; access to medicines; accountability; pharmaceutical policy; transparency
    • Publication Date:
      Date Created: 20240516 Date Completed: 20240516 Latest Revision: 20240731
    • Publication Date:
      20240731
    • Accession Number:
      10.1080/17441692.2024.2350649
    • Accession Number:
      38752422