Toward a multidisciplinary approach in research on quality of medicines

An 'informal online gathering' of researchers, experts and policy makers interested in the links between medicines quality and public health, took place on 3 December 2020. It was the third of a series of informal events that started in person in 2019, thanks to the initiative of Paul Newton at Oxford University/IDDO/MORU, with the intent to share research projects, brainstorm on research ideas and identify synergies and collaborations among relevant stakeholders.

The third gathering was convened by Raffaella Ravinetto of ITM and Paul Newton, for fostering a multidisciplinary approach in research on quality of medicines, and brainstorming on research priorities and collaborations. It was attended by about 60 people.

The gathering’ proceedings are now available, and it is hoped that they can reach a broader audience, foster wider reflection on the gathering recommendations, and trigger ideas about the suggested research priorities. These would include, for instance, studies that investigate the relationship between medical products’ price and quality, and studies that investigate the reasons behind poor practices in pharmaceutical procurement. They should be carried out as multidisciplinary projects, as they require combining pharmaceutical, economic and sociological expertise, and they might have the potential to orient guide policy and regulatory decisions.