Establishment of galenic laboratories in developing countries to produce high quality medicines: results of Aid Progress Pharmacist Agreement (A.P.P.A.®) Project.

Aims The A.P.P.A.® Project is the result of the cooperation between the Pharmacy Faculty of Turin and Italian Community Pharmacists. The main purpose of the Project is the opening of Galenic Laboratories (GLs) in Developing Countries (DCs) hospitals. The main reasons for proposing Galenics are: simple operative procedures, tailor made medicines, reduction of the use of counterfeit medicines and low manufacturing costs. Methods It is a six steps Project, the result of which is an efficient and functional GL: from the preliminary study of local needs to an ongoing and accurate control of the prepared Galenics through analyses conducted in the labs of the University of Turin. The Project complies with EU’ and guest Countries’ legislation, while abiding by quality standards of medicinal products. The pharmaceutical forms proposed include liquid preparations, capsules, ointments, pessaries, suppositories and multi-dose parenteral solutions. Results The Project is being implemented in a number of Countries at varying stages of development: today there are two labs in Cameroun, Madagascar and Angola; one is in Chad and one is in Haiti. Since the opening of the first lab in 2006 to date it has been possible to administer about 10,000,000 oral doses. Conclusions The advantages of the Project are shown in the eight GLs opened until now. Moreover the self-governing Galenic production for DCs could lead to a higher level of autonomy, a “new job” as well as contributing to the decrease in the administration of counterfeit medicinal products.