In order to guide procurement, governments must ensure that they have strong national drug regulatory authorities (DRAs) with a clear mandate and legal authority, appropriate organizational structure, adequate number of qualified staff, sufficient resources and a sustainable financing mechanism.

The primary objectives to safeguard public health by ensuring that all medicines and insecticides circulating in their markets meet appropriate standards of safety, quality and efficacy. Safety aspects cover potential or actual harmful effects; quality relates to development and manufacture; and efficacy is a measure of the beneficial effect of medicines and insecticides on patients.

To assist procurement agencies with regulatory aspects of importation and procurement of medicines and insecticides, Annex IV provides information on countries in which the majority of antimalarial medicines and insecticides listed in this report are currently registered. This information is provided by manufacturing companies, and is subject to change.

To improve the accuracy of this publication, DRAs are strongly encouraged to submit any known changes or corrections to the data provided, either by email to supply@unicef.org; or by fax to UNICEF Supply Division, Copenhagen, Denmark, +45 35 26 94 21.