Since 1977, the World Health Organization has published a list of essential medicines that satisfy the priority health care needs of the population; are available in functioning health systems at all times in adequate amounts and appropriate dosage forms with assured quality, and at prices individuals and the community can afford.
Every two years, the WHO Expert Committee on Selection and Use of Essential Medicines meets to consider new additions to the list, evaluating the scientific evidence for comparative effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness of the medicines in question.
This December 2022, in collaboration with Newcastle University and the London School of Economics, ADI will submit an application to the WHO Expert Committee on the inclusion of anti-dementia medication. As a part of that application, a short survey has been developed to help gather important evidence to build the case.
Dame Louise Robinson, who is leading the Newcastle University team, emphasised why it is so important to get dementia drugs on the EML:
Whilst the world waits for new drugs to tackle the global burden of dementia, it is worrying that many people living with dementia do not have easy access to existing dementia drugs at affordable prices. We aim to rectify this through an application to include drugs like donepezil in the World Health Organisation essential medicines list. We need your help urgently, by completing this survey, to provide ADI with the core information needed to support this application.
What are we asking?
We are asking clinicians from across the globe to complete this electronic survey to provide an overview around the guidance, affordability, accessibility, and processes involved in prescribing anti-dementia medication in their countries.
Who can take part?
Any clinician who prescribes or, in countries where the drugs are unavailable, who would like to prescribe anti-dementia medication.
How long will it take?
The survey should not take any longer than 10-15 minutes of your time.
What information will be collected?
We will not be collecting any personally identifiable information. We will collate some basic demographic data regarding your clinical practice, but the remaining questions are around how anti-dementia are accessed and used and how dementia care is provided in your country.
Take the international survey around the use of anti-dementia drugs
The closing date for this survey is Friday 30 September.
