Medicines as a Critical Component of Healthcare: Issues, Roadblocks and Potential Lines of Action

Medicines are a critical component of any national health care system. In fact, the most frequent and most common form of medical intervention is by far medication. The use of prescription medicines in the U.S. has increased rather drastically over the last ten years, reaching some US$ 320 billion in 2011. This paper examines some critical issues related to the security of medicines and the integrity of the pharmaceutical supply chain. It also discusses some major roadblocks that undermine the legitimacy of the entire medical system since medicines are indeed an essential component of health care. Some lines of actions and solutions are also proposed in the conclusion.