E-DRUG: A Charter for the Quality Assurance of Medicines
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Dear E-Druggers,
I would like to share with you the text of a press release issued by the
Belgian Platform for International Health, Be-cause health, concerning a
"Charter for the Quality Assurance of Medicines".
The Charter has been signed by the following Belgian organizations: the
Belgian Technical Cooperation (CTB); some NGOs (Africa Europe Faith and
Justice Network, Médecins Sans Frontières, Médecins Sans Vacances, Cemubac,
Damien Foundation, International action for Liberation, Louvain
Développement, Médecins du Monde, Memisa, Sensoa, UniverSud); two "bureaux
d'études" (Hera et AEDES); and some academic institutions (IMT Antwerp,
UGent, ULB, UCL, UA et ICRH-Ugent).
More details will be soon available at the website of BeCause Health:
http://www.be-causehealth.be/becausehealth/
TEXT OF THE PRESS RELEASE ISSUED ON DECEMBER 8th, 2008
The Belgian Development Cooperation opts for quality medicines
Minister Michel supports the Be-cause health Charter for the Quality
Assurance of Medicines Launch in Brussels on December 12th, 2008
This year, two millions non-registered antimalarials and painkiller tablets
were found at the customs in Belgium. According to the WHO, about 25% of
medicines used in developing countries do not comply with appropriate quality specifications. Some of them are counterfeited, but the majority are sub-standard medicines.
This situation should not be tolerated any more. The Belgian Platform for
International Health, Be-cause health, has prepared a Charter for the Quality Assurance of Medicines, which should help the concerned actors, including organizations working in cooperation projects, and Governments from the North and from the South, to better manage this situation. Minister Michel will give his support to this initiative, and he will be represented by his Head of Cabinet John Cornet d'Elzius.
After the welcome of Martine Vandermeulen (Hera-Belgium), president of
Be-cause health, Aline Honoré (Univers Sud) will give a short presentation on the rationale for the Charter, the main challenges and the possible
solutions. The concerned organizations will then officially sign the Charter.
Belgium has already taken some important actions to try to change the
unacceptable status quo. The Belgian legislation implemented, in December
2006, some strict requirements for those medicines that are manufactured for export without being registered in the European Union. The Belgian
Development Cooperation has also supported the WHO Pre-qualification.
The information about the Charter will be disseminated and promoted at
national and international level, hoping that it can trigger some similar
initiatives elsewhere.
In the package for the press, you will find the Charter, in English and
French; the Declaration and the list of the concerned organizations; Facts
and gaps; and an Inventory of quality problems.
Contact persons at Be-cause health: Aline Honoré (O499 15 18 36:
aline.honore@yahoo.fr) and Dr. Dirk Van der Roost (0479 31 67 07 ;
dvdroost@itg.be, C/O ITM, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerpen Tel: 03/247 620; Website: http://www.itg.be/colloq2008)