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  • Title: Drug donations to developing countries.
    Author: Khare AK.
    Journal: Afr Health; 1998 Nov; 21(1):8-9. PubMed ID: 12294922.
    Abstract:
    Developing countries often receive donations of drugs from corporations and governments during acute emergencies or as part of long-term development aid. However, donated drugs are often not relevant to the circumstances in the receiving country, many drugs arrive unsorted and under trade names with no international non-proprietary name, they may arrive in the wrong quantities, the quality of donated drugs does not always comply with donor countries' standards, and they often arrive without adequate package inserts or production information, and sometimes under a brand name unfamiliar in the recipient country. Local doctors often do not know how to use the drugs since they are not usually available in their country. The level and quality of communication between donors and recipients must be improved, and recipients advised on how they should specify the kind of help they need. Drug donations should benefit recipients as much as possible and be based upon receiving countries' expressed needs. Furthermore, only drugs of acceptable quality should be donated to other countries, no drugs should be donated which have been issued to patients or doctors and then returned to pharmacies for disposal, and after arriving in the recipient country, all drugs should have a remaining shelf-life of at least 1 year. In the acute phase of an emergency, it is better to send a standardized kit of drugs specifically designed for that purpose. Once the acute phase of an emergency ends, a donation in cash for the local or regional purchase of medical supplies will be more welcome than additional donations.
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