Experts from the health sector and the Government presented the advances and challenges for the entry of health technologies in the country, and highlighted the need for an articulated work among all the actors of the system to advance in pending tasks such as the regulation of prices of medicines.
Bogotá, August 26, 2021 (AmCham Colombia) .- In a discussion organized by the Colombian American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham Colombia), with the support of Novo Nordisk, local and international experts presented some recommendations to advance health innovation in Colombia and the challenges to overcome in issues such as the regulatory framework, introduction of new technologies, price regulation, use of data, workforce and infrastructure.
According to Ruth Lopert, Senior Health Policy Analyst at the OECD, innovation in technology has a positive impact on health systems, but there are challenges to be addressed, including ensuring there is a robust framework for technology regulation, having Appropriate legal authorities and technical expertise to free itself from conflicts of interest, and to transparently and independently commit to making decisions on issues such as the deployment of human and financial resources.
Other challenges are infrastructure and workforce development, but also the use of data. “Introducing a new technology presents opportunities and an obligation to collect data, so that it can be used and complemented with the data that is had in the protocols and clinical trials that have been previously carried out,” Lopert said.
The OECD analyst added that the pandemic has reflected another challenge related to the acceptability of vaccines and immunization in several countries, including Colombia, since there are reports that show a certain distrust in vaccination, largely due to poor information circulating on social media.
The Ministry of Health and Social Protection recognized that there are various challenges and pending tasks in the country, mainly in terms of the entry of innovative health technologies and the regulation of drug prices.
