Ensuring Balance in National Policies on Controlled Substances: Guidance for Availability and Accessibility for Controlled Medicines

This book provides guidance on policies and legislation with regards to availability, accessibility, affordability and control of medicines made from substances regulated under the international drug control conventions, herein referred to as "controlled medicines." Their scope encompasses "all controlled medicines," but with a specific focus on essential medicines. Controlled medicines play an important role in several areas of medicine, including pain treatment, treatment of opioid dependence, emergency obstetrics, psychiatry and neurology. The availability, accessibility and affordability of controlled medicines are important issues for all countries, but problematic for most of them.