How MeTA Works

In each of the countries currently participating in MeTA – Ghana, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Peru, the Philippines, Uganda and Zambia -  a national stakeholder forum is being set up with members from government, business and civil society.  

Members of this multi-stakeholder forum will agree an annual work programme, which will be coordinated by their chosen national MeTA secretariat.

The forum meetings themselves represent a significant opening up of a previously secretive process. The groups represented in the forum have never before sat together to talk about ways of improving patients’ access to medicines. Bringing together different interest groups is a key element in the MeTA approach.

Participants’ first task will be to make available publicly existing information on the medicines supply chain, from import and manufacture to patient use. Their second task will be to find ways of making even more data accessible. They will look at gaps in information on the quality, availability, price, promotion and use of medicines, and where possible identify ways of overcoming them.

Governments taking part in MeTA commit themselves to disclosure of a standard set of core data about medicines – and to involve civil society, business and other sectors in using the data to help confront problems in the pharmaceutical market.

People, for example, civil society organisations and members of the public, will be able to access this new information through websites and publications and be able to take action to hold different stakeholders accountable.

Global

MeTA also brings an international perspective by involving stakeholders who operate at a global level. This is an important component, because the pharmaceutical market is globalised and the trade in medicines is often weakly regulated and opaque. Many supporters of MeTA participate in discussions and give feedback about the key issues.

An International Advisory Group steers MeTA by identifying trends, reviewing work and making recommendations. An International Secretariat supports daily technical and strategic operations at country and international level and a Management Board guides the Secretariat, agrees the support to be provided to participating countries and coordinates funders and technical support partners.