Older Adults’ Access to Pharmacological Treatment, a Human Right to Health: Scoping Review (2020–2025)

TL;DR

This paper explores how older adults face barriers to accessing essential medicines, which violates their human right to health and dignity.

Contribution

The paper uniquely frames access to pharmacological treatment for older adults as a human rights issue, emphasizing equity and dignity.

Findings

Barriers to accessing medicines include inequity and lack of specialized services.

Public policies and simplified treatment regimens can improve access and dignity for older adults.

Health coverage expansion is hindered by violations of the right to health principles.

Abstract

Background: Limitations in timely and equitable access to essential medicines among older adults not only constitute a clinical barrier to the effective management of chronic conditions, but also represent a violation of the fundamental right to life, health and the principles of dignity, equality and non-discrimination that safeguard this population within the framework of human rights. Objective: To examine access to essential medicines for older adults with high-cost chronic conditions as a constitutive dimension of the fundamental rights to health, life and human dignity, in accordance with international human rights standards. Design: A literature review was conducted of articles published between 2020 and March 2025 in five databases, using the search terms: “pharmacological treatment,” “access to health,” “chronic diseases,” and “barriers to access.” After evaluating the inclusion criteria (language and year) and exclusion criteria (case studies), 12 articles were selected. A narrative synthesis was performed on the following aspects: application of the principles of the right to health, barriers to access, and rights violated or at risk. Results: The expansion of health coverage faces several barriers that violate fundamental principles of the right to health: equity, accessibility to medical advances, and long-term, quality, and specialized services, thus limiting autonomy. In conclusion, guaranteeing access to pharmacological treatments in old age will contribute to building more just and humane societies through public policies on coverage and pharmaceutical education, the simplification of treatment regimens, and the implementation of programs that allow people to age with dignity, considering health a human right based on equality and non-discrimination, participation and transparency.

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