# E-DRUG: E-drug: Press statement - pre upcoming World Health Assembly **URL:** \ **Category:** e-drug\ **Created:** [May 15, 1996, 9:30pm UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-e-drug-press-statement-pre-upcoming-world-health-assembly/130 "1996-05-15T21:30:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![barbara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f8ce5/32.png) [@barbara](https://talk.edrugplus.org/u/barbara)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 1996, 9:30pm UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-e-drug-press-statement-pre-upcoming-world-health-assembly/130/1 "1996-05-15T21:30:23Z")
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