Official collaboration between IAHPC and INCB

Categories: Policy.
Prof. Jallal Toufiq, President of the INCB and Dr. Katherine Pettus, IAHPC Senior Advocacy and Partnerships Director signing the agreement of collaboration between the two entities on November 14, 2024.

 

The International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) is pleased to announce that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB). The purpose of the MoU is “to provide a framework of cooperation and understanding and to facilitate collaboration to further their shared goals and objectives in regard to improving the availability of internationally controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes.”

The agreement was signed on November 14th in Vienna, by Professor Jallal Toufiq, President of the INCB and Doctor Katherine Pettus, IAHPC Senior Advocacy and Partnerships Director. Dr. Pettus has worked for many years to advocate for the availability and rational use of controlled medicines for pain and palliative care.

The objectives laid out in the MOU include among others, the exchange of research, data, and analysis on an annual basis on controlled medicines and the exploration of possible solutions such as joint activities to make such information available to the international community. These objectives will be achieved through regular dialogues between INCB and the IAHPC.

Professor Lukas Radbruch, Chair of the IAHPC commented on this important agreement: “The IAHPC has a long history of collaborating with the INCB. The signing of this MoU lays the groundwork for our ongoing technical work and advocacy. I am deeply grateful to the INCB for its trust and support as well as to Dr. Felicia Knaul and her team for their ongoing work to produce accurate data on the needs for controlled medicines in all countries where availability is low to inadequate according to INCB standards.”

After the signing, Dr. Pettus commented: “This historic agreement with the INCB is an example of how a well-established civil society organization such as IAHPC can collaborate with a key UN body to improve the lives and health of persons and their caregivers with palliative care needs.”

The IAHPC looks forward to this collaboration and opportunities to improve the lives of millions of patients around the world.

Comments

  1. Liz Gwyther

    Congratulations to IAPC on formalising this relationship to continue the important work in improving access to pain medication for patients requiring effective pain management.

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