Conference Themes: Digital technologies for improving medicine use; Methodologies to investigate quality use of medicines; and Policies and programs that support better use of medicines.
Thursday 19 November 2026
| 08:00 – 11:00 | Workshop 1: How do we strengthen measurement of quality use of medicines (study design and indicators) (Kathleen Hollaway) | ||
| 11:00 – 11:30 | MORNING TEA | ||
| 11:30 – 12:30 | Workshop 2: AI and medicines information (Andre Andrade) | ||
| 12:30 – 14:00 | LUNCH | ||
| 14:00 – 15:30 | Chairs: Libby Roughead and Kadir Alam Welcome and Introduction Keynote Address: Nepal Ministry of Health (WR) Address by Lancet Commission: Libby Roughead | ||
| 15:00 – 15:30 | AFTERNOON TEA | ||
| 16:00 – 17:15 | Working Sessions | ||
| Chairs | Abeer AlGhananeem and Nisha Jha | Mohammad Izham bin Ibrahim and Mukhtar Ansari | Fatima Suleman and Lorenzo Moja |
| Working Session #1: Implementation of policies to improve the use of medicines Knowledge, attitude and practice regarding antimicrobial resistance among proficiency certificate level students in Dhanusha, Nepal. (Siddhika Niraula) Access to medicines using the World Health Organization’s Four Point Framework for medicine policy in public health facilities in Delhi, India. (Vandana Roy) The combined effects of the national drug price negotiation and volumed-based procurement on access to medicines in China. (Li Yang) From Aspiration to Action: A critical review of Nepal’s National Drug Policy 1995 and draft National Medicines Policy 2007, and recommendations for future reform. (Santusta Adhikari) Bridging science, education and community in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (BSEC-AMR): A cross-country AMR School Based Intervention model. (Gervas Gibuyi) | Working Session #2: Methodologies to investigate quality use of medicines Analysis of outpatient drug prescribing pattern and prescription errors in a provincial hospital of Nepal – A cross-sectional study. (Prasanna Dahal) Longitudinal analysis of antibiotic consumption using defined daily dose (DDD) metrics: A six-year time-series and predictive modelling study. (K Kaushik Reddy) Awareness of pharmacists and family doctors about paediatrics off label medicines in Moldova. (Natalia Cebotarenco) From evidence to practice: co-designing national programs to improve quality use of medicines. (Rawa Osman) Feasibility and acceptability of using quality indicators for improving the quality of care and outcomes for hypertension treatment at primary healthcare clinics in South Africa. (Johanna C. Meyer) | Working Session #3: Interactive Workshop Strengthening institutional linkages between evidence synthesis activities and essential medicine decision making at national and global levels to improve access to medicines (Lorenzo Moja, WHO Geneva) Through facilitated discussion and analytical exercises, participants will map critical points of intersection between evidence synthesis workflows and essential medicine policy pathways. Anticipated outputs include: A consolidated framework outlining barriers and opportunities for alignment between systematic review products and global or national EML decision structures. This will include a typology of governance challenges, methodological constraints (e.g., mismatched cycles, uncertainty thresholds, and parallel guideline/HTA processes), and practical opportunities to synchronize timelines, strengthen cross referencing, and establish structured channels for early engagement—particularly when moderate to high certainty evidence of benefit is emerging.An exploration of streamlined evidence synthesis formats as tools to enhance linkages with EML processes. Participants will evaluate how concise, policy oriented review formats—featuring clearer scopes, structured summaries, and explicit relevance statements—may facilitate more predictable uptake into EML applications and national priority setting exercises. Discussion will consider how such formats could support:rapid signalling of policy relevant conclusions;standardized assessments of “EML relevance”;direct communication pathways between review teams and EML secretariats; andcollaborative scoping when new evidence may warrant an EML submission. Conclusion By engaging stakeholders in structured, real world case analyses, this workshop will advance practical strategies to strengthen institutional linkages between evidence synthesis activities and essential medicine decision making at national and global levels. | |
| 17:30 | Welcome reception | ||
Friday 20 November 2026
| 08:45 – 09:00 | Summary of key messages from Day 1 | ||
| 09:00-10:15 | Chairs: Lynn Weekes and Aukje Mantel-Teeuwisse Keynote Address: Digital Technology for improving Use of Medicines (Heba Mohamed) Panel session: Digital Technology for improving Use of Medicines What role does AI have to play in this changing world? ChatGPT use in patient education and counselling. (Andre Andrade) Telemedicine ‘Care Booth’ improving health literacy and QUM literacy. (Chanuantong Tanasugarn) Responsible use of AI tools that prioritize patient-centered outcomes across the MENA region. (Abeer AlGhananeem) | ||
| 10:15 – 10:45 | MORNING TEA | ||
| 10:45 – 11:45 | POSTER SESSON 1 | ||
| 11:45 – 13:15 | Working Sessions | ||
| Chairs | Pranaya Mishra and Sunil Shrestha | Panna Thapa and Gulam Mohammad Khan | Subish Palaian and Niyada Kiatying-Angsulee |
| Working Session #1: Improving Access to Medicines Improving the equitable use of medicines: An alternative approach. (Dima Mazen Qato) Improving access to oral childhood cancer medicines in LMIC countries. (Dima Mazen Qato) Sustainable updating that better meets user needs: re‑engineering a publishing model for point-of-care guidelines. (Melanie Rosella/Emma Juniper) Measuring access to medicines in informal settings: an adapted methodology for fragile contexts. (Fatima Suleman) The combined effects of the national drug price negotiation and volumed-based procurement on access to medicines in China. (Li Yang) | Working Session #2: Implementation of policies to improve the use of medicines Status of implementation of a national program to promote Rational Use of Medicines (RUM) in Nepal. (Nisha Jha) Capability for population level monitoring of quality of medicines use: expert stakeholder interview study. (Judith Mackson) Empowering “Youth FDA” networks for community health product surveillance: a multilevel participatory action research in Phatthalung, Thailand. (Thitima Thongsang) Health technology assessment in the era of accelerated regulatory approval and greater uncertainty: an examination of funding decisions in Australia between 2018-2024. (Ashleigh Hooimeyer) Quality Use of Medicines Alliance: A new Australian collaboration working collectively to improve medicine use. (Jonathan Dartnell) | Working Session #3 – Implementation of policies to improve the use of medicines Renew the movement to educate children about the rational use of medicines. (Natalia Cebotarenco) Strengthening medication safety through pharmacovigilance: a three-year analysis of ADR reports from a regional center in Nepal. (Suman Shahukhal) Older adults with multi-morbidities and polypharmacy managing their medications using a unique digital health platform-enabled, “smart” pillbox – A single cohort exploratory observational study. (Santanu Kumar Tripathi) Profile of poisoning in postmortem cases brought for toxicological analysis at tertiary care center of Eastern Nepal- A six year retrospective study. (Bikash Sah) | |
| 13:15 – 14:15 | LUNCH | ||
| 14:15 – 15:45 | Chairs: Fatima Suleman and Dima Mazen Qato | ||
| Keynote address: Methodologies to investigate quality use of medicines From data to action: routine surveillance, point prevalence surveys and AWaRe system to improve antibiotic use (Verica Ivanovska) Data Triangulation to assess QUM (Aukje Mantel-Teeuwisse) Panel discussion: Methodologies to investigate quality use of medicines Australian Quality Use of Medicines System (Jonathan Dartnell) Thailand Country QUM implementation (Prasit Watanapa) Children and QUM (Natalia Cebotarenco) PROmeds study in Indonesia – methodology considerations (Hesty Utami Ramadaniati). | |||
| 15:45 – 16:15 | AFTERNOON TEA | ||
| 16:15 – 17:15 | POSTER SESSION 2 | ||
| 18:00 | Conference Dinner | ||
Saturday 21 November 2026
| 09:00 – 09:15 | Summary of key messages from Day 2 | ||
| 09:15 – 09:45 | Working Sessions: Introduction to ISIUM Working Groups: Conversations Working Group (Libby Roughead) Membership Working Group (Natalia Cebotarenco) Newsletter Working Group (Mary Hemming) Website Working Group (Janelle Taylor) International Rational Use of Medicines Day (IRUM) Working Group (Lynn Weekes) | ||
| Discussion with working groups, networking and sign up | |||
| 09:45 – 10:15 | MORNING TEA | ||
| 10:15 – 11:30 | Chairs: Natalia Cebotarenco and Penkarn Kanjanarat | ||
| Plenary: Implementation of policies to improve the use of medicines QUM – learning from first nations people (Michael Stephens and Alana Gall) Ongoing Initiatives to Improve the Quality and Efficiency of Medicine Use within the Public Healthcare System in South Africa; A Preliminary Study (Johanna C. Meyer) PROmeds study in Indonesia – preliminary results (Hesty Utami Ramadaniati) Lancet Commission and QUM (Libby Roughead) | |||
| 11.30 – 12:00 | Summary of Recommendations from Concurrent Workshops and discussion (Chair Libby Roughead) | ||
| 12:00 – 12:30 | Wrap up and farewell (Chair Kadir Alam) | ||
| 12:30– 13:30 | LUNCH | ||