The Pan American Health Organization
Promoting Health in the Americas

 Safe Hospitals
Essential Medicines - Pan American Network for the Drug Regulatory Harmonization (PANDRH) - Pharmaceutical Education - Pharmaceutical Forum of the Americas (FFA) - Access to Medicines - Laboratories 

Prequalification of Suppliers

PAHO applies a system of prequalification that permits the identification of a core list of suppliers and/or products that meet PAHO quality criteria The prequalification of PAHO suppliers applies to the procurement of 'medicines', 'pharmaceutical products' or 'multisource pharmaceutical products'.

The prequalification criteria applied by PAHO depend on available number of sources of the pharmaceutical product:

• For multisource pharmaceutical products:

  • Suppliers that have been evaluated and prequalified by PAHO, providing evidence that they conform to current requirements of Good Manufacturing Practices, and apply appropriate standards in quality assurance and control.

    The prequalification of such suppliers is ensured through the Essential Medicines, Vaccines and Health Technologies Unit at PAHO regional office.

• For single or limited-source pharmaceuticals including HIV/AIDS Antiretrovirals (ARVs):

• For non-pharmaceutical products, other source references to ensure procurement of quality product are used.

For example, for HIV Test Kits:

  • Manufacturers listed in 2003 WHO Bulk Procurement Scheme