Report on Technical Assistance Provided to Support the Development of EMDL and EMDPG

The list is mandated by the Universal Health Care Act, which requires the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) to implement strategies to ensure the availability, accessibility, and affordability of medical devices. The DOH Pharmaceutical Division (DOH-PD) issued the initial version of the PEMDL in November 2022, based on the collection of procurement data from end-users, medical devices already covered by existing PhilHealth benefit packages, and DOH standard of care. The DOH-PD is still in the process of drafting technical specifications for the listed medical devices listed in the PEMDL. To facilitate the development of the technical specifications, the Medicines, Technologies, and Pharmacies (MTaPS) Philippines program organized a learning session with MTaPS Nepal and DOH-PD. The learning session aimed to share best practices, lessons learned, and strategies for listing essential medical devices. MTaPS Nepal suggested establishing a comprehensive database of medical device specifications and collaborating with healthcare providers to identify commonly used medical devices. The learning session also highlighted the importance of continuously updating the PEMDL and procurement processes. MTaPS Nepal shared about the Technical Specifications Bank (TSB) they created for use in Nepal, which is a central collection of standard specifications of drugs and medical equipment. The TSB was demonstrated to be a useful tool for defining technical specifications and ensuring the quality of medical devices while preventing restrictive access to innovative technologies. The DOH-PD organized a workshop entitled "End-User Workshop on the PEMDL – Implications on Procurement" to share the best practices and creation of the TSB. The workshop was attended by 227 representatives of CHDs, DOH, and DOH-PD across the country. The workshop aimed to facilitate the sharing of best practices and the creation of the TSB, and to demonstrate how to use the TSB in defining technical specifications for medical devices procurement. The development of the PEMDL and the creation of the TSB are crucial steps in ensuring the availability, accessibility, and affordability of medical devices in the Philippines. The PEMDL will serve as a guide for end-users in procuring medical devices, while the TSB will provide a comprehensive database of medical device specifications. The successful implementation of the PEMDL and the TSB will contribute to the improvement of the country's health system and the delivery of quality healthcare services to the Filipino people.