The Promoting the Quality of Medicines Plus (PQM+) program, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), works to improve systems that assure the quality of essential medical products in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to help prevent maternal and child deaths, control the HIV epidemic, and combat infectious diseases through high-performing health systems. PQM+ (2019-2025) builds on the work of its predecessor, the Promoting the Quality of Medicines (PQM) program (2009-2020).
Led by the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) and its consortium of partners, PQM+ provides technical assistance to manufacturers of priority health products and technical support to medicines regulatory authorities to improve product registration, inspection, and post-marketing surveillance of product quality. This includes the accreditation of national drug quality control laboratories per international standards, including the International Organization for Standards (ISO) 17025 and World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification requirements.
By sharing expertise and providing technical support and leadership, PQM+ supports LMICs in developing more resilient, robust, local health systems capable of preventing and responding to diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, neglected tropical diseases, COVID-19, and other infectious diseases as well as improving maternal, newborn and child health. By working closely with country counterparts and stakeholders, PQM+ encourages the adoption of new strategies and tools to help optimize limited health resources and increase equitable access to quality-assured medical products.
