---- HAI Fact Sheet: Assured Quality and Lowest Prices - What the Global Fund Requires for Buying Medicines Health Action International (HAI) has produced this 7-page fact sheet, "Assured Quality and Lowest Prices: What the Global Fund Requires for Buying Medicines," to give guidance to countries and organisations that are involved in the process of applying for and receiving funds to procure medicines from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund). Explicit guidelines and readily accessible information about board decisions and requirements are not yet finalised, giving rise to insufficient understandings on how to procure medicines affordably to meet the needs of the greatest number of people. The fact sheet pulls together key citations and other important decisions in one concise document. Each section contains pointers to internationally accepted best practice documents, some of which are explicitly referenced by the Fund. Access to this information will help to ensure that national efforts comply with Global Fund principles and requirements. In the near future, the Global Fund will publish comprehensive procurement guidelines. The Global Fund and World Health Organisation (WHO) are in the process of developing further guidance and tools. WHO will publish technical guidance and prequalification information on procurement and quality issues and services in early 2004. This fact sheet summarises the available information, as follows: - Key Global Fund citations about medicines procurement and supply management - Fund principles and requirements on procurement and supply management capacity - Fund requirements about cost and price - Fund requirements on quality - Advantages of generics - Fund requirements about conforming to national and international legal agreements Hyperlinks are provided in the text and in the endnotes to useful documents and key information sources. The fact sheet can be accessed at www.haiafrica.org/globalfund and downloaded in PDF format. A CD-Rom version containing the fact sheet and key supporting documents is available from the HAI Africa coordinating office. Orders and inquiries about the fact sheet should be sent to info@haiafrica.org HAI will continue to monitor Global Fund publications and decisions and update this fact sheet as needed. Health Action International (HAI) is a non-profit, growing, global network of some 160 consumers, public interest NGOs, health care providers, academics, media and individuals in more than 70 countries. HAI promotes increased access to essential medicines, the essential medicines concept and the rational use of medicines. Beryl Leach HAI Africa coordinator Health Action International (HAI) Africa Regional Coordinating Office PO Box 73860-00200 Nairobi, Kenya Tel: (254) 20 444.4835 Fax: (254) 20 444.1090 Direct: (254) 20 444.1090 Email: info@haiafrica.org Website: www.haiafrica.org