Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community Advocacy

Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community Advocacy and Networking Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 1

Advocacy and Networking Session Objectives § § Importance of collaboration Effective advocacy Principles of networking Various networks Exchange of experience and discussion Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 2

Collaboration - why? § multiplication of strengths § sharing of skills and strengths § use limited resources effectively § learn lessons from others § bringing together different actors Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 3

Effective advocacy § Understand the problem § Define your objectives § Focus your ideas Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 4

Identify influence § § Who makes decisions? How are decisions made? What is the time-frame? What are key moments? preparation is critical understanding the rules of the game enables you to become a player. Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 5

Get to know decision makers § § § Who are they? Are they accessible? Do they know you and your purpose? Do they hear from you regularly? What can you do for them? • Information • Access to your group • Press coverage for positive action Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 6

Build a strong case § Anticipate counter arguments § Select useful facts and examples § Formulate goals carefully § Deal positively with criticism Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 7

Identify allies and helpful experts § Look at different levels of influence § Look at those who partially share your views § Look at different roles • the expert witness • the popular hero • the powerful voice Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 8

How do you get a result like this? In a hard-hitting speech to the British pharmaceutical Conference in Glasgow, Princess Anne said firms should focus on effective long-term measures such as cutting drug prices rather than short-term publicity stunts. The princess, an honorary fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, which organised the conference, also warned that basic disease prevention measures, such as immunisation programmes, were in decline in many countries. She said donations of medicines often failed to cover their distribution costs, which sapped other scarce health spending. ”(IP-Health Sept 2001) Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 9

Identify and understand your opponents § § § Who are they? What are their reasons? What are their interests? What strategy are they likely to adopt? Can you dialogue with them? Do you have good counter-arguments? Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 10

Develop a campaign timeframe § Don’t wait till the last minute § Make the most of a launch moment § How to keep momentum § Windows of opportunity § Do you need to end? Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 11

Evaluation § Look carefully at your campaign § What are the lessons? § What have you gained? § Have their been negative spin-offs? § Do you need to modify your strategy? Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 12

Networking § Communication and cooperation between groups and individuals sharing a commitment to a common goal, ideal or objective. § Sharing resources and/or ideas § Providing mutual support and assistance Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 13

Networks: different forms § national/international § informal/more structured § virtual/face-to-face § short-term/long-term § small selective/open Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 14

What makes networks effective? § § § § § mutual trust and solidarity active participation decentralised activities clearly shared goals coordination flexibility for rapid response expertise and experience cooperation and collaboration resources for key activities Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 15

Threats and pitfalls § lack of money § lack of focus § inability to agree on strategy and priorities § domination by one or few partners § tendency to centralise power/resources Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 16

How can you use networks? § get in touch with others allies, sympathetic experts etc § ideas and examples § attention for your work § potential funding contacts § back-up in trouble Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 17

What can you contribute? § share your successes § help others get started § share information § share expertise § give support to others Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 18

Advocacy Activity 1: First Task choose an objective § Implementation of existing law or ethical criteria to regulate drug promotion (can aim to confront OTC advertising, DTCA and ‘undercover’ ads etc) § Inclusion of RDU education in primary school curriculum § Increasing access to safe, effective and affordable GENERIC drugs Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 19

Advocacy Activity 1: Second task § Discuss the advocacy objective selected: what exactly do you want to achieve? If needed, formulate sub-objectives for the advocacy campaign. § Brainstorm: who do you need to collaborate with? Who is likely to resist? Make a list of stakeholders. Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 20

MSF campaign to increase access to drugs: sub-objectives § Achieve health exception in trade agreements § Overcome access barriers § Stimulating research and development for neglected diseases Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 21

Advocacy Activity 1: Third task Stakeholder analysis § Which stakeholders have you identified? § Are they likely to resist or support your advocacy objective. What arguments will be used to resist? § In what way will you be able to collaborate with stakeholders who support your objectives? § How will you deal with resistance? How will you respond to the counter arguments? Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 22

Activity 2: PRDU by consumers: 1) reflect on existing networks/networking § Who promotes rational use of drugs by consumers in your country? § § Do these people work together? Do they share successes and failures? Do they support each other? Consider also electronic networks? If they do not network, why not? Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 23

2) Activity 2: How to strengthen country PRDU by consumers networks § Brainstorm about the ways in which we can strengthen our efforts to promote rational use of drugs by consumers by means of networking § Write ideas on a whiteboard/flipchart § Select three key activities/good ideas, and present in plenary Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 24

Summary advocacy and networking § Develop clear objectives and an advocacy plan § Be imaginative in identifying partners and allies § Be creative in using windows of opportunity § Find out about international and national networks in which you can participate § Maybe you need to create your own network Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 25

Summary framework Components Strategies • Research • Stakeholder analysis Advocacy • Plan • Activities • Networking • Collaboration • Lobbying • Evaluation Advocacy and networking Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community WHO 26