E-drug: ACT UP Demands Essential Medicines for All (cont'd)
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Dear e-druggers,
Here we have an interesting discussion ... as so many on this mailing
list.
My reply to Pierre Chirac's message: I agree there is a potential
danger .... IF THE ESSENTIAL DRUGS LIST IS REALLY GOING TO BE
EXEMPTED from certain TRIPs obligations !!!
The message of such an accomplishment would be 'Stop to negative
trade consequences' and welcome to the public health point of view in
trade negotiations.
This exemption might be a way, not only practical but especially
symbolical!
How to work things out in practice is the next step.
On the other hand if we really reach this goal of exempting 'essential
drugs' from certain TRIPs obligations the EDL is going to be a very
powerful instrument. This could have two kinds of effects:
- the one that Pierre is asking attention for: no update of the essential
drug list
- but ... the other is putting higher demands for the drugs listed on the
EDL meaning that there will be more attention (political and scientific)
for the EDL which could work positively as well
Any comments?
An idea: why limit exemptions in TRIPs to WHO's EDL ... why not
apply exemptions to national EDL's. This again has advantages and
disadvantages. The biggest advantage is probably that the pressure
will be lower for WHO.
Greetings,
Mark Raijmakers
Wemos Foundation
P.O. Box 1693
1000 BR Amsterdam - The Netherlands
Tel.+31-20-4.688.388 / fax 4.686.008
http://www.wemos.nl
Web-site on drug donations in seven languages:
http://www.drugdonations.org
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