E-drug: ACT UP Demands Essential Medicines for All (cont'd)
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There would definitely be risks to the future of the WHO EDL if drugs
on it were made TRIPs exempt. But before we make this demand I
would propose that we examine the question of what is the best way
of making essential drugs (on or off the EDL) available in Third World
countries. I don�t have any easy answers but some of the options
that have been, and are being, considered are:
1) Encouraging local production where possible or else regional
production if countries are too small or resource poor to be able to
sustain an industry;
2) Making use of the existing TRIPs exemptions for compulsory
licensing and parallel importing;
3) Offering incentives to countries to offer drugs to developing
countries at substantially reduced prices.
These are not necessarily exclusive options and they could either be
combined or used separately in different circumstances. If they are not
practical then we should seriously consider the demand for TRIPs
exemption.
Joel Lexchin
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Joel Lexchin MD
121 Walmer Rd.
Toronto, Ontario
CANADA M5R 2X8
Phone: +416-964-7186
Fax: +416-923-9515
e mail: joel.lexchin@utoronto.ca
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