Despite some clear successes, many countries are still failing to implement the policy and programme changes needed to improve access to affordable medicines. Although the challenges faced differ from country to country, a common problem is a lack of techni- cal capacity to link price data to local policy processes (and so determine the causes of high prices and unexplained price variations) and to identify and prepare suitable lines of response. A related issue is the paucity of published evidence on the effectiveness of differ- ent policies in low- and middle-income country contexts. In addition, the lack of political commitment, for example,.
