Boost for evidence-based medicine in Kyrgyzstan

A Workshop on Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) in Education and Medical Practice took place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, in February 2004, and was followed by training for trainers on the principles of EBM. This signalled a breakthrough in Kyrgyzstan's approach to medical education and practice, and gave an opportunity for open discussion among the country's academics and experts from NIS countries. The Russian branch of The Cochrane Centre, the Moscow Evidence-Based Medicine Centre and Moscow Medical Academy contributed greatly to the event, particularly with ideas on promoting the principles of EBM. The Workshop showed a great demand for this type of education, and the project will be continued in the current biennium. The Zdravplus/USAID Project in Central Asia, the WHO/EURO Special Project on Pharmaceuticals in the NIS and the WHO/EURO Programme on Human Resources for Health jointly organized this successful event.

Wide-ranging discussions on Turkey's pharmaceutical sector

In February 2004, the Turkish General Directorate of Pharmaceuticals in the Ministry of Health, with support from ^- the WHO Regional Office, hosted a meeting to discuss access to medicines, the WTO and the TRIPS Agreement and their implications for the country's pharmaceutical sector, including manufacturers. Representatives from various ministries (health, economics, justice, finance, and the patent and competition offices) academia, and the pharmaceutical industry discussed presentations on TRIPS and data protection, the new EU pharmaceutical legislation, implications for Turkey (especially in relation to data exclusivity), and the country's review of reimbursement. Agreements were made with the Ministry of Health to further support, develop and streamline reimbursement arrangements within the framework of the Health Transformation Plan.