WHO Quality assurance policy for the procurement of essential medicines and other health products

Overview

The procurement of essential medicines and other health products is a critical function in support of the effective discharge of WHO’s mandate, and WHO values the importance of the quality of essential medicines and health products that are supplied to countries. The first World Health Assembly in 1948 recognized the need to establish a procurement service at WHO, and recommended setting up an office “to give advice on the procurement of essential drugs, biological products and other medical supplies”.

This WHO Quality Assurance Policy for the Procurement of Essential Medicines and other Health Products (the Policy) sets out the principles and requirements regulating WHO procurement of essential medicines and health products, including a set of clear and transparent criteria on which potential sources and suppliers are selected and engaged. The Policy functions to update and consolidate existing internal quality procedures into a single document. Reference should also be made to the WHO procurement rules as described on the WHO website at http://covid.comesa.int/about/accountability/procurement and as modified from time to time.

This Policy aims for harmonization, where appropriate, with the quality assurance policies of other United Nations (UN) agencies and international organizations procuring essential medicines and other health products. WHO intends to continue to collaborate with relevant technical partners to ensure consistent application of quality assessment tools and procedures within the UN system. Suppliers (manufacturers and wholesale distributors) of essential medicines and other health products to WHO must accept the provisions of this Policy as part of the WHO procurement process and their contractual relationship with WHO.