“up to 68 percent of out of pocket health costs in resource-limited countries is for medication… inclusion of off-label drugs in the UHC benefit package, as shown in the use of bevacizumab in Thailand, serves as an example of how to offer high-cost NCD treatment in a safe and effective way”

The blog also emphasises the importance of evidence-based decision making and use of HTA in considerations about access to medicines.

“No matter what measures are adopted, the decision-making should be an evidence-based process participated in by multiple stakeholders and supported by health technology assessment (HTA), which takes into account human rights, cost-effectiveness, safety, and intellectual property rights“