Why are medicines a unique commodity?

We believe that medicines are a unique commodity, because :

• Purchase or non-purchase based on price often means a ‘choice’ between life and death.
• The need for medicines is immediate and involuntary and purchase decisions often are made in distress.
• Decision to purchase a particular drug or brand is made by doctors, and in turn by pharma companies, and not by the patient.

Medicines therefore need to be available, affordable and accessible universally, and to this end we believe :

• Medicines must be of a high quality but the cost must be affordable.
• Only essential and rational medicines must be available for prescription and dispensing/ sales.
• It is necessary to demystify the production process of medicines (as also medical technology in general).
• Health care services must be free and in the public sector so that nobody goes without health care when needed.