May 15, 1996
CONSUMERS APPLAUD WHO GUIDELINES FOR DRUG DONATIONS
Health Action International (HAI) is asking delegates at this year's
World Health Assembly in Geneva on May 20-25 to actively support the
World Health Organisation (WHO)'s drug donation guidelines, released
April 30. These guidelines aim to prevent the harm and waste caused by
widespread inappropriate drug donations.
Inappropriate donations of medicines threaten people's health, cause
environmental pollution and waste precious time and money.
. In Mostar, Bosnia, a huge storehouse holds 340 tons of donated drugs
which cannot be used. The mayor asked European Union countries to
stop dumping their expired drugs in Mostar and warned that "such
action is building up a serious health hazard".
. In Calcutta, India, in April 1996 a US-based NGO airlifted US $10.5
million worth of medicines for the poor. Only 9 of the 57 types of
medicines were essential drugs; another 7 were "borderline" and 41
-- or 95% of the value of the consignment -- were non-essential.
Most had expired or were due to expire within less than a year.
. Natalie Tchebotarenko, a clinical pharmacologist, surveyed 260
doctors in Moldova on their use of donated drugs. "These drugs often
come without information in any language doctors or nurses can
understand," she says."Medicines of great value are being stored for
a long time and then are destroyed in large quantities after
expiring. These actions are familiar to every hospital."
HAI, a global network of health, development, consumer and public
interest groups, is representing the interests of consumers in drug
policy at the World Health Assembly.
"We are very pleased that this year's WHO Executive Board proposed a
resolution to the World Health Assembly on a number of issues of
concern to consumers," says Ellen `t Hoen of HAI. "The resolution
[EB97.R14] recommends actions against inappropriate drug donations,
unethical drug promotion, double standards in exports and imports, and
unfair drug prices. We are asking Assembly delegates to support and
strengthen this resolution and to develop concrete plans of action for
WHO and their governments."
HAI has produced a briefing paper for delegates and the press, Drug
Policy at the 49th World Health Assembly, in English, Spanish, French
and Russian. For more information or copies of the briefing paper,
contact: In Geneva, May 17-25:
Ellen `t Hoen or Barbara Mintzes, John Knox Centre
27 Chemin des Crets de Pregny, CH - 1218 Grand-Sacconex, Geneva
tel: (41 22) 7989161; fax: (41 22) 7910638
e-mail: 101572.3370@compuserve.com
or in Amsterdam, HAI-Europe
Jacob van Lennepkade 334T, 1053 NJ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
tel: (31 20)6833684; fax (31 20)6855002); e-mail: hai@hai.antenna.nl