Two GAO reports focus on global health issues

Aug 3 2012

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released two reports on issues related to global health. In "Ensuring Drug Quality in Global Health Programs," the agency writes, "Concerns have been raised about the potential for substandard drugs to enter the supply chains of global health programs," and notes that it concluded, "U.S.-funded global health programs have put regulatory and policy requirements in place to help prevent procurement of substandard drugs" (8/1). In another report looking at the WHO, titled "Reform Agenda Developed, but U.S. Actions to Monitor Progress Could be Enhanced," GAO found, "The United States has provided input into WHO's reform agenda, particularly in the areas of transparency and accountability, but the Department of State's (State) tool for assessing progress in the area of management reform could be enhanced" (7/23).