CUBAN DRUG OUTPUT, PRESCRIBING MOVES

Cuba's Public Health Minister, Julio Teja, has told the Havana-based Granma International journal that the output of the national pharmaceutical industry should be 84 million pesos ($63.6 million) in 1994, given adequate supplies of raw materials. This would be similar to 1992's level but much higher than 1993's production total of 59.7 million pesos.

Current supplies of pharmaceutical raw materials are healthy, thanks to forward planning, the Minister said, adding that the Ministry is working "doggedly" to overcome shortages of some medicines and other supplies. He said there is no evidence of a decline in the principal health indices as a result of these shortages.

Mr Teja also announced that an integral strategy for national drug production has been formulated, along with a more rigorous control system for dispensing drugs via prescriptions, and greater government support for continued development of "natural" and traditional medicines. The dispensing reform mainly involves changes to the prescription form, in order to make it harder for people to obtain medicines to sell for personal gain and reduce the number of drugs in short supply. In a change which began in Havana on May 16 and will gradually be extended throughout the country, those obtaining drugs from pharmacies will now have to present two forms.