HSC8008 : Global Health Policy and Medicine Use (Inactive)
HSC8008 : Global Health Policy and Medicine Use (Inactive)
- Inactive for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Dr Colin Millard
- Lecturer: Professor Allyson Pollock, Mr Peter Roderick, Dr Oisín Kavanagh
- Owning School: Population Health Sciences
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Pre-requisite
Modules you must have done previously to study this module
Pre Requisite Comment
N/A
Co-Requisite
Modules you need to take at the same time
Co Requisite Comment
N/A
Aims
This module will take a public health and social science perspective to understand global health policy and regulation related to medicine use. It will enable students to describe and understand the global drug supply chain and the role of WHO and national governments in promoting rational medicines and the numerous barriers to access to safe, rational and affordable medicines.
Outline Of Syllabus
• WHO's approach to governing safe and rational access to medicines
• International and national regulatory apparatuses
• The global drug development and supply chain
• The role of clinical trials in ensuring that medicines are safe and effective
• National and global pharmacovigilance systems
• Barriers to access to essential and rational medicines
• Social and Cultural Aspects of Medical Technologies
Learning Outcomes
Intended Knowledge Outcomes
At the end of the module students should be able to:
• Explain in detail drug approval systems at country level.
• Compare how political, social, and economic and cultural factors interact with scientific knowledge, research and practice.
• Describe in detail the global drug supply chain.
• Describe and analyse the role of WHO and national governments in promoting rational medicines and the numerous barriers to access to safe, rational and affordable medicines.
• Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the role of clinical trials in ensuring safety and efficacy, and of their strengths and weaknesses
• Summarise and critique the role of the WHO and the Essential Medicines List in promoting and prioritising rational drug use
• Demonstrate an understanding of the effects of international regulations and institutional patterns of national and regional pharmaceutical production and access to medicines
• Explain in depth the social, cultural and policy dimensions of medical technologies
Intended Skill Outcomes
At the end of the module students should be able to:
• Identify and analyse barriers to access to medicines in different countries and settings from a public health perspective
• Appraise the function of national governments and international institutions in respect of marketing approvals, drug prioritisation and ensuring access
• Explain the drug development process and marketing approval requirements including clinical trials, and the contemporary challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry
• Identify the key criteria that underpin the ethical conduct of clinical trials
• Identify the main process steps in evaluating the safety of medicines
• Evaluate pharmaceutical marketing techniques
• Evaluate the social and policy related dimensions of medical technologies
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | End of module assessment- essay |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | Mid module assessment- small group presentations |
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 8 | 0:30 | 4:00 | Non-synchronous online pre-recorded lectures |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 7 | 1:30 | 10:30 | Present in person: Interactive teaching session |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | Present in person: Interactive teaching session |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 8 | 1:00 | 8:00 | Present in person: Discussion and group work |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured non-synchronous discussion | 8 | 1:00 | 8:00 | Online Discussion Groups |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 148 | 1:00 | 148:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 1 | 0:30 | 0:30 | Present in person: Week 1 - introduction to the module – interactive talk |
| Total | 200:00 |
Jointly Taught With
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| HSC8006 | Introduction to Global Health Policy and Medicines Use |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The aim of the module is to develop student knowledge related to a range of issues concerned with the access to safe, effective and appropriate medicines, and medical technologies. This will be achieved through a flexible learning approach using case studies delivered in scheduled learning activities. All scheduled teaching activities will be interactive and students will be encouraged to actively engage with the course material. Question prompts will be used. Small group discussion and exercises will be used with the aim of developing the required analytical skills related to identifying barriers to access. Key readings for each week's lecture will be made available on the VLE and students will be expected to have read these. Each week’s one hour small group teaching sessions where students will have the opportunity to explore in detail an area related to the weekly topics.
Reading Lists
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 2 | M | 80 | 2,500 word maximum |
| Oral Examination | 2 | M | 20 | Small group 15 min present in person presentation |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The small group presentation will involve a presentation in groups of 3 on material from the first half of the module. This will allow the students to critically engage with the course material, and develop group work and presentation skills. This will be peer assessed, 20% students and 80% module leader.
The essay will be submitted at the end of the module and will require the students to demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the course material and show that they are able to critically engage with the topic.
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- HSC8008's Timetable
Past Exam Papers
- Exam Papers Online : www.ncl.ac.uk/exam.papers/
- HSC8008's past Exam Papers
General Notes
N/A
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