Institutionalizing Pharmaceutical Procurement Frameworks in Jordan

High pharmaceutical expenditures can pose significant challenges for health care systems. In addition, the administrative and operational costs and time to conduct one-off and repetitive procurements are likely to be disproportionate to the value of the products, and such procurements may not be effective in emergencies. The substantial financial burden impacts public insurance programs, private insurance companies, and government budgets. This strain on limited health care resources could result in decreased accessibility to crucial health care services and products for the population. One widely recognized method for addressing the problem is to utilize framework agreements (FAs), which are “umbrella” contracts between one or more buyers and single or multiple suppliers that can improve procurement contracts by providing a pre-established structure for repetitive purchasing and thereby promote efficiency and ensure consistent terms and conditions. This technical brief summarizes MTaPS’ efforts in Jordan to support the MoH in creating an enabling environment for stakeholders to successfully implement FAs with pharmaceutical suppliers, which could positively affect the procurement of all pharmaceuticals, including vaccines.