Pool purchasing of essential cancer medicines across countries
Small countries pay more for the same generic chemotherapy because they buy alone; the PAHO Strategic Fund and the WHO essential medicines list show that buying together brings prices down and keeps supply steady.
Overview
The WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (24th list, 2025) includes a core set of cancer medicines. The PAHO Strategic Fund is a regional pooled-procurement mechanism for essential medicines that member states can use; the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines (WHO and St. Jude) applies the model to paediatric oncology. Extending pooled procurement to the adult essential-medicines set (platinums, taxanes, anthracyclines, imatinib, tamoxifen, letrozole, trastuzumab biosimilars) would give middle-income countries the prices large buyers get and reduce shortages.
- Most of the world has almost no cancer care · Seven in ten cancer deaths happen in low- and middle-income countries, where radiotherapy, pathology, surgery and drugs are scarce.
- Prices and value · New cancer drugs routinely cost over $150,000 a year, often for months of benefit. Systems cannot afford them and patients go bankrupt.
Pages like this
not linked directly; found by shared links- IdeaVoluntary licences and price caps for patented cancer drugs in low-income countries
Shares WHO Essential Medicines List for cancer, World Health Organization – Cancer Programme, Imatinib, Prices and value.
- IdeaPooled international procurement of essential adult cancer medicines
Shares Imatinib, Paclitaxel / nab-paclitaxel, Prices and value, Most of the world has almost no cancer care.
- IdeaTransparent cost-plus pricing for every oral oncology generic
Shares Letrozole (and other aromatase inhibitors), Tamoxifen, Imatinib, Prices and value.
- IdeaTie WHO essential-medicines listing to a published tiered price and supply pledge
Shares Imatinib, Prices and value, Most of the world has almost no cancer care.
- IdeaMedicines Patent Pool licences for every patented cancer drug on the WHO list
Shares Imatinib, Prices and value, Most of the world has almost no cancer care.
- InstitutionCentral Drugs Standard Control Organization
Shares World Health Organization – Cancer Programme, Imatinib, Prices and value, Most of the world has almost no cancer care.
- IdeaPooled procurement and voluntary licensing for essential cancer medicines in low-income countries
Shares Imatinib, Prices and value, Most of the world has almost no cancer care.
- IdeaA non-profit manufacturer for generic cancer drugs in chronic shortage
Shares Paclitaxel / nab-paclitaxel, Prices and value, Most of the world has almost no cancer care.