CLOSURE OF THE PRESENT MEDICINES CONTROL COUNCIL

Issued by: African National Congress

The National Health Committee of the African National Congress supports and commends the Minister of Health, Dr. Zuma in carrying out the recommendations of the Review Team on the closure of the present Medicines Control Council.

The political mileage that oppositions parties such as the Democratic Party and National Party are trying to gain from this is deplored in the strongest terms. The team that had been established in January 1998 consisted of Independent expert international consultants and the findings of that team need to be respected as Independent findings.

The findings of the report points to strengths and weaknesses of the present MCC. Amongst the shortcomings in drug regulation the following have been noted:

• A failure in communication between the MCC, policy makers, administrators, the general public and the pharmaceutical industry.
• Confusion has developed as to the division of responsibility for policies on the one hand and technical matters on the other.
• The existing administrative system is no longer adequate for the complex management and massive data handling which a national regulatory system requires.
• The drug knowledge and experience required to support the system have long been concentrated in too few academic centres.
• There are no adequate rules to avoid the risks posed by a conflict of interests, particularly where commercial interests do not run parallel with those of the community at large.

The report further highlights some recommendations, in particular that the present MCC should cease to exist and that an entirely new Medicines Regulatory Authority should be brought into operation. This authority will be largely financially independent. There will be two Committee's; one will assess orthodox (science - based) medicines a second will assess complementary and traditional medicines.

The National Healthy Committee of the African National Congress feels strongly that these recommendations should be carried out Minister Zuma. The actions of opposition groups and political parties ad the attempt to link the closure of the MCC to the Virodene debate is misplaced and calls into question the independence and integrity of the Review Team.

Furthermore, the fact that there are at present no rules governing the interests of commercial capital into the working of the MCC is of particular concern to the ANC. This could effectively bias the Council in the control of medicines in this country.

The National Healthy Committee also condemns calls by certain political parties for the resignation of Minister Zuma. Minister Zuma has, unlike her predecessors, made enormous strides in making health care more accessible and affordable to the ordinary person. For this she is commended.

Yours in health.

Dr. S. Kariem
Secretary
National Health Committee
African National Congress
31/3/98