In the early 1990s, USAID launched the Rational Pharmaceutical Management (RPM) Program to improve the way developing countries allocate and use pharmaceutical resources and information. It aimed to improve the “rational use” of medicines—making sure patients receive the right medication, in the right doses, for the right amount of time, at the lowest cost to them and their communities. The RPM Plus Program followed in 2000, expanding on the original program to support a massive scale-up of treatment programs for infectious diseases around the world.
Beginning in 2007, USAID’s Strengthening Pharmaceutical Systems (SPS) Program built on the achievements of RPM Plus to support successful national programs and adapt them for use in other countries. The SPS approach was comprehensive, aimed at strengthening health systems overall through initiatives across the health care spectrum, including governance and financing.
Today, with renewed focus on empowering host countries and improving our metrics for success, the SIAPS Program continues the USAID legacy of improving pharmaceutical management for better health outcomes.
