PRODUCT SELECTION

Areas to cover are

• Definition of the product selection process
• Overview of the product selection process
• Supply chain considerations and other criteria for product selection
• How product selection impacts the rest of the supply chain
• Importance of standardization of laboratory equipment and supplies
for product selection
 Logistics Cycle: Organizing Logistics System Activities.
Logistic cycle Quality
Serving Customers Monitoring
Policy
Quality
Monitoring

Inventory
LMIS
management,
Storage &
Pipeline monitoring, Product selection
organization and staffing
Distribution
Budgeting,
Supervising,
Evaluation.
Quality
Quality Monitoring
Monitoring
Adaptability
Quantification &
procurement.
Definition of Product Selection & Requirements
• Product selection is a key element of the logistics cycle, which is
directly linked to serving customers by defining what products are
procured and used in the health system and the range of products
that a customer can receive. The product selection process is
informed by local policies and guidelines.
• Products are selected from or become part of a National Essential
Medicines List (NEML or EML) and are based on Standard Treatment
Guidelines (STG).
• Selected products must be registered for overall use in the country.
 Objectives Of Product Selection

• Limiting the variety of products that are used and available at public
sector facilities can make the supply chain more manageable.
• With a designated list of products, the staff at the central warehouse
can become more familiar with the products & can ensure that they
meet the needs of the program.
• The warehouse can also monitor and maintain stock levels of all
products throughout the system
• Selecting products enables the development and implementation of a
national coordinated logistics system.
• It allows for the redistribution of products throughout the system.
 Objectives Of Product Selection
• Prioritizing particular products can be a tool for supply chain
managers to ensure availability of those products.
• Product selection facilitates access to more affordable commodity
prices through economies of scale and reduction of cost for some
supplies.
• Selecting products is a prerequisite to quantification, because it
identifies the products that should be quantified.
 National Essential Medicines List
The NEML describes the medicines that satisfy the priority health care
needs of a population and are approved for use throughout the country.

• It can cover commodities ranging from malaria and asthma medicines

to family planning products and diarrhea treatments.

• Countries develop EMLs for different levels of care in the health

system, based on disease patterns commonly treated at each level.
For example, not all disease conditions are treated at every facility in
the country. (Antiretroviral treatment may not be provided in the rural
health center, but may be available at the district hospitals and higher
levels).
National Essential Medicines List
In the NEML the specific medicines that should be
used for different conditions are listed. Therefore on the
NEML a product should be
• relevant to the local disease patterns
• proven to be of good quality, effective, and safe
• cost effective when considering total treatment cost.
 Registration of Pharmaceutical Products
• Pharmaceutical products require prior evaluation and approval from a
governing body, often called the National Drug Regulatory Authority
(NDRA), or a Stringent Regulatory Authority (SRA).
• Products to be registered should be proven to be efficacious
(effective), safe, and of good quality.
• Many pharmaceutical products can be registered for use in a country
but they may not be on the NEML, or on the standard treatment
guidelines.
• Products not on the EML, but used by the private sector, can still be
registered if their efficacy, safety, and quality are acceptable to the
regulatory authority.
 Registration Of Pharmaceutical Products

• Failure to follow the pharmaceutical registration protocol could lead to

products being held up by customs when they enter the country.
• The registration of products is the responsibility of the manufacturer,
not the ministry of health or supply chain managers. However, supply
chain managers must ensure that the products they are responsible for
procuring and distributing are registered, as required.
 Standard Treatment Guidelines(STG)
• Standard treatment guidelines (STGs) are suggested treatment
protocols for the most optimal treatment of a specific clinical
problem, in a given setting, based on consensus by experts.
• The treatments for specific clinical problems are selected based on
common diseases in the area; they can vary based on the level of the
treatment facility.
• Products chosen to be available at a particular facility, or level of
facilities, should be based on STGs.
Key Requirements For Preparing New Products/Changes In Treatment
Methods For STG
• There should be government approval and registration of new products,
disseminating new guidelines, provider training in prescribing and dispensing
of new treatment
• Regimens and products ensuring appropriate storage conditions and space to
accommodate new products in storage and transport
• Transition plan for replacement and/or discontinuation of products to
facilitate use of existing stocks before expiry.
• Incorporating new products and treatment regimens into existing LMIS forms
• Updating quantifications to reflect expected changes in product consumption
and stock levels
• Adjusting the timing of procurement and supplier delivery schedules to
ensure continuous supply
• Recalculating funding requirements and mobilizing additional funding, if
needed.
 Donor Requirements
• Some donors will require that if you use their funds to purchase
products, they must meet certain criteria.

• Some may request that you use a particular procurement agent. Or,
often they require that products be on the WHO prequalified list.

• They may prefer that products are on the country`s EML and duly
registered by stringent regulatory authority.

• When selecting products based on donor requirements, be sure they

meet the other key criteria for product selection.
Laboratory Supplies & Equipment Standardization

Laboratory equipment and supplies are needed to check efficacy of the

products procured and it can be extremely challenging to manage because of
the variety and quantity of products.
Some countries have product lists with several thousand products associated
with the laboratories alone.
Laboratory equipment primarily includes long-lasting, durable equipment,
such as autoclaves and x-ray machines.
When selecting laboratory supplies, the following should be considered:
• availability of staff trained in operating and repairing equipment
• availability of supplies necessary for the equipment to function
• appropriateness to the setting—e.g., disease patterns, use at the appropriate
levels of the system,
• voltage systems in the country, and gauges in the correct unit of measure.
Laboratory Supplies & Equipment Standardization

• Laboratory supplies include consumables which are normally disposable

items like syringes, bandages, cotton dressing, catheters, sutures;
reagents which could be biological or chemical; equipment like
glassware etc and it requires specific (stock keeping units) SKU. To
standardize the system the following steps must be implemented:
1. Set test menus:Along with other stakeholders agree on lab tests to use
2. Decide on test techniques: A smaller technical group decides which
technique to use for a selected task.
3. Select equipment: After you select the technique choose appropriate
equipment to carry out these tests and technique.
 Quality Monitoring In Product Selection
• Customers deserve quality products even after products have been
distributed to customers hence programs should be in place to monitor
quality.
• Customers should be counseled to correctly use the products they
receive. The results of monitoring customer satisfaction can be used for
decision making on patient preference and product selection in cycle.
• To ensure good procurement decisions we need to examine guidelines,
prescribing practices, registration status in product selection to avoid
delays and procurement of inappropriate products.