Malebona Precious Matsoso, a Director in Public Health Innovation and Intellectual Property (PHI) for the World Health Organisation, has returned to South Africa to be appointed the new Director-General of Health. This puts her in charge of RSA's health issues reporting to and advising the Health Ministry. It's a big job. Her stance as far IP and drugs is concerned is hinted at in a paper she delivered at the International Conference for Drug Regulation Authorities:"In conclusion, there are several interventions that could further improve the selection and quality of drugs. First, for the selection of drugs, the essential drugs list should be regularly updated, and provincial therapeutics committees should be established or strengthened. Updated and locally relevant information on efficacy and safety of antiretroviral drugs should be disseminated. For the quality of drugs, results of quality control tests should be used as the basis of prequalification of suppliers in adjudicating tenders. Law enforcement, particularly within the developing country context, should be strengthened in order to combat counterfeit drugs."
