The Estimation of National Opioid Requirements: New INCB/WHO Guidelines

International Pain Policy Fellowship

Training SessionMadison, Wisconsin, USA

8 August 2012

Martha A. MaurerPain & Policy Studies Group

University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer CenterWHO Collaborating Center for Pain Policy and Palliative Care

The Single Convention establishes two mechanisms:

(1) The estimates system for narcotic drug requirements, and

(2) The statistical returns system for narcotic drugs

Drug Requirements Definition

The Single Convention (Article 19) defines drug requirements as the quantities of drugs that will be used in the country for medical and scientific consumption, as well as for the manufacturing of other licit preparations.

• Governments estimate amount of controlled substances needed to satisfy all medical and scientific requirements for the next year

• Submit Estimates to INCB on Form B by June 30th of each year for the following year (i.e., by 30 June 2012 for 2013 estimated requirements)

• INCB evaluates, confirms and publishes the estimate for each Government

• Government may then manufacture or import controlled substances within that amount to distribute to medical facilities for the treatment of patients

How are estimated requirements established for a country?

ALBANIA Ministry of Health Department of Pharmacy Tirana Albania Phone: 355 - 42 - 34636 FAX: 355 - 42 - 28303

KYRGYZSTAN State Service on Drugs Control of the Kyrgyz Republic 80 Toktogula Street Bishkek 720021 The Kyrgyz Republic Phone: 996 - 312 - 662217 Fax: 996 - 312 - 625143 Web: www.gskn.kg

BANGLADESH Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) Ministry of Home Affairs Wage Earners Hostel Complex (Level – 8) 71-72, Old Elephant Road (Eskaton Garden), Ramna Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh Phone: 880 - 2 - 831 2131 Fax: 880 - 2 - 831 1155 E-mail: dgdnc@bttb.net.bd

SRI LANKA Medical Supplies Division 357, Deans Road Colombo 10 Sri Lanka Phone: 94 - 1 - 694 - 111 Fax: 94 - 1 - 697 - 096

INDIA Central Bureau of Narcotics Ministry of Finace 19, The Mall Morar Gwalior 474006 Madhya Pradesh India Phone: 91 - 751 236 8996 Phone: 91 - 751 236 8997 Phone: 91 - 751 236 8121 Fax: 91 - 751 236 8111 Fax: 91 - 751 236 8577 Email: narcom@sancharnet.in

UKRAINE State Service on Drugs Contol Prospect Chervonozoryanyi 51 03680 Kiev Phone: 380 - 44 - 275 - 6814 Fax: 380 - 44 - 275 - 4287 E-mail: info@narko.gov.ua Web: www.narko.gov.ua

IV. TABLE 1. COMPETENT NATIONAL AUTHORITIES

Who is responsible?

Published Estimates for 2012http://www.incb.org/incb/narcotic_drugs_estimates.html

Estimated Requirements - Morphine, 2012

Country Est. in grams* Population**

Albania 3,500 3,002,859

Bangladesh 100,000 161,083,804

India 9,743,726 1,205,073,612

Kyrgyzstan 3,500 5,496,737

Sri Lanka 16,000 21,481,334

Ukraine 62,840 44,854,065

Source: * INCB Estimated World Requirements for 2012 report (June 2012 update)

** CIA World Factbook (July 2011 estimates)

Supplementary Estimates

• Single Convention authorizes Governments to submit a supplementary estimate

• Government should include explanation of why an increase is needed

• Can be submitted at any time, and can be approved quickly by INCB when requested

Reasons for not submitting estimated requirements

Governments lack appropriate methods and procedures for estimating opioid requirements

Governments do not allocate sufficient personnel or resources to administer the technical function of estimating drug requirements

Why are Estimates of opioids important for the INCB?

“Governments and the [International Narcotics Control] Board need to have accurate information about medical needs for narcotic drugs. In the case of narcotic drugs that are opiates, it is particularly important to accurately estimate all medical needs because the Board must make arrangements well in advance to cultivate a sufficient quantity of poppy plants.” (p. 1) (INCB, 1996)

Related Issues Impacting Estimates

Cost of purchasing, importing medicines

Difficulty finding an interested supplier, due to small profit margin for certain low-cost opioids such as IR oral morphine

Difficulty identifying Exporter/Supplier with affordable prices, appropriate formulations

Challenges in identifying specific formulations and amounts of medicines needed

http://www.incb.org/incb/en/guide-on-estimating-requirements.html

• New Guide published 2012

• Joint WHO/INCB effort

• Purpose to assist Governments in accurately estimating requirements

Estimated Requirements vs. Need for Controlled Medicines

Estimated Requirements: quantities necessary to

provide medical treatment through existing health-care

infrastructure

Needs: quantities necessary to provide medical treatment for all health problems in country

Methods for Estimating Opioid Requirements

1) Consumption–based method

2) Service–based method

3) Morbidity–based method

International Narcotics Control Board and World Health Organization. Guide on Estimating Requirements for Substances under International Control. Vienna, Austria: United Nations; 2012. http://www.incb.org/incb/en/guide-on-estimating-requirements.html

1) Consumption–based method

Based on use of opioids over recent years

Developed using an average of the amounts consumed in recent years

Year Morphine use (kg)

2010 17

2011 15

2012 18

Example: Calculating morphine requirement of country X for 2013

18.4 kg Estimated Morphine

Requirement for 2013

Average = 16.7 kg

+ (10%) 1.67 kg

1) Consumption–based method

Appropriate to use when:

reliable data about recent opioid consumption can be collected,

demand for health-care services has reached a relatively steady level,

well-functioning supply management system, and

use of controlled substances is rational

Limitations:

Does not provide a basis for improving rational use and accuracy,

stock-outs, losses, and waste may reduce accuracy, and

incomplete data due to poor stock management, inadequate record-keeping or reporting to authorities

2) Service–based method Calculates requirements for controlled substances based on current levels of use of each substance (for all indications) in a sample of standard healthcare facilities.

Data from standard facilities extrapolated to calculate the requirements for other similar facilities

Targets health services available and takes into account current treatment levels

o may reflect financial / administrative constraints in existing healthcare system

2) Service-based method

Type of Facility

Total number of facilities in

country

Expected number of

patient contacts at all facilities

Avg. morphine

consumption per 1,000 patient

contacts (at standard facility)

Total requirement per facility

type

Regional Cancer Center

5 90,000 5 kg 450 kg

Nat’l Cancer Center

1 40,000 4.375 kg 175 kg

Hospice 10 50,000 6 kg 300 kg

Total 925 kg

Example: Total annual estimated morphine requirement for country x

2) Service–based methodAppropriate to use when:

prescribing, administering and dispensing patterns in standard facilities are rational,

pattern of morbidity in standard facilities is representative of the region/country

detailed data on patient morbidity and standard treatment guidelines are not available.

Limitations:

may not take into account medical needs of patients that cannot be met due to constraints of existing health system,

inappropriate patterns of prescribing, administering, dispensing in standard facilities will be perpetuated in calculations, and

limitations of healthcare system (frequent stock outs) may make it difficult to select valid standard facilities

3) Morbidity–based method

Based on frequency of diseases and health problems (morbidity) and on accepted treatment norms

Advantage – draws attention to magnitude of the health problem, (i.e., unrelieved pain)

Disadvantage – will likely overestimate the quantities that would actually be consumed

Morbidity-based Estimate for Morphine: example standard treatment norm

For Cancer patients:  # annual deaths x 80% requiring EOL care with oral morphine x 90 days x 60-75mg per day

For AIDS patients: # annual deaths x 50% requiring EOL care with oral morphine x 90 days x 60-75 mg per day

Foley KM, Wagner JL, Joranson DE, Gelband H. Pain control for people with cancer and AIDS. In: Jamison DT, Breman JG, Measham AR, Alleyne G, Claeson M, Evans DB et al., eds. Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2006:981-993. http://files.dcp2.org/pdf/DCP/DCP52.pdf

3) Morbidity-based method

Sample Facility

No. of late-stage

cancer patients

Total No. of

facilities in

country

Nat’l approx. of late-stage

cancer patients for each type of facility

80% of patients who need pain

treatment

Avg. amount of morphine per pt. for 90-day

standard course of treatment

Total qty. of morphine

consumed by all late-stage

cancer patients

Nat’l Referral hospital with PC unit

1,000 1 1,000 800 6,075 mg 4.86 kg

Regional hospital with PC unit

500 5 2,500 2,000 6,075 mg 12.15 kg

Hospice with home-based care

300 10 3,000 2,400 6,075 mg 14.58 kg

Total 31.59 kg

Example: morphine requirement for late-stage cancer pts. in country x

3) Morbidity-based method

Sample Facility

No. of late-stage

cancer patients

Total No. of

facilities in

country

Nat’l approx. of late-stage

cancer patients for each type of facility

50% of patients who need pain

treatment

Avg. amount of morphine per pt. for 90-day

standard course of treatment

Total qty. of morphine

consumed by all late-stage

HIV/AIDS patients

Nat’l Referral hospital with PC unit

1,200 1 1,200 600 6,075 mg 3.65 kg

Regional hospital with PC unit

800 5 4,000 2,000 6,075 mg 12.15 kg

Hospice with home-based care

500 10 5,000 2,500 6,075 mg 15.19 kg

Total 30.99 kg

Example: morphine requirement for late-stage HIV/AIDS pts. in country x

3) Morbidity-based method

Total: late-stage cancer patients 31.59 kg

Total: late-stage HIV/AIDS patients 30.99 kg

GRAND TOTAL 62.58 kg

Example: morphine requirement for late-stage HIV/AIDS and Cancer pts. in country x

3) Morbidity–based method

Appropriate to use when:

patterns of data on past use are unavailable or unreliable,

health services are rapidly changing or new,

accurate and complete data on morbidity are available,

standard treatment norms have been developed, and

promoting a change towards more rational prescribing (according to standard treatment norm).

Limitations:

Healthcare infrastructure may not have the capacity to treat all morbidity

if standard treatment norms are not followed, calculated requirements will not match their use

For accuracy, need to have complete morbidity data and standard treatment guidelines.

Considerations for ensuring accurate Estimates

Goal: To ensure that opioids are safely distributed to patients receiving medical treatment and to avoid large unused inventories and diversion:

• Is there an adequate infrastructure to support the use of medications?

• Will medicines be appropriately stocked, distributed, prescribed, and dispensed?

• Are there trained health care professionals willing to prescribe?

• Are there guidelines for safe handling of controlled medicines?

What can countries do to improve their estimates system?

Decide on appropriate method to develop Estimated Requirement

Implement the method

Communication between National Competent Authority and Health Professionals

Conclusions

Estimates are Single Convention obligation

Government responsibility for calculating estimated requirements to submit annually to INCB

Supplementary Estimates are possible New Guide from INCB/WHO offers

information on responsibilities and 3 suggested methods

Important to consider current capacity of healthcare infrastructure

Thank you!

Martha Maurermamaurer@uwcarbone.wisc.edu

Pain & Policy Studies GroupWHO Collaborating Center for Pain Policy and Palliative Care

www.painpolicy.wisc.edu

Estimates: Questions for Discussion

• Have the estimates been adequate to satisfy actual needs for pain management?

• What sources of information are used?

• Has the method been evaluated?

• How could the method be strengthened?

Guatemala

• Since 2006, oral morphine had not been available in public hospitals

• Fellow working to improve distribution of morphine supply from Guatemala City to regional hospitals in rural areas, including training and preparation of paperwork to introduce new supply of oral morphine

• In early 2009, requested by Government to assist with calculating national estimated requirement for morphine

Guatemala• Initially, looked at total population that would

need oral morphine for pain relief – proposed to increase estimate to cover 50% of those in need

• WHOCC and IAHPC colleagues cautioned against this approach, advised fellow to consider actual need and safe distribution of morphine first

• Ultimately considered how many patients were currently being cared for by palliative care units in the country and arrived at a more realistic estimate for morphine