E-DRUG: EP Members calling for support on the UNITAID HIV Patent Pool
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European Parliament
WRITTEN DECLARATION
pursuant to Rule 123 of the Rules of Procedure
on the UNITAID HIV patent pool
Michael Cashman, David Martin, Raül Romeva i Rueda, Santiago Fisas Ayxela,
Sophie In't Veld
Lapse date: 11.2.2010
0055/2009
Written declaration on the UNITAID HIV patent pool
The European Parliament,
- having regard to Rule 123 of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas only one third of the 10 million people in need of
antiretroviral treatment has access to it and the price of medicines is on
the rise, with increasing numbers of AIDS patients failing on their
first-line therapy, and there is an urgent need to find affordable
second-line treatments,
B. whereas two million children are living with HIV but less than 10
% of them have access to the medicines they need, and many of the
antiretroviral (ARV) drugs available are not approved for paediatric use,
C. whereas UNITAID has decided to take steps to create a voluntary
patent pool for AIDS medicines for developing countries,
D. whereas, a patent pool is a mechanism whereby patents held by
different parties are brought together voluntarily, in exchange for
royalties, and made available for production and further development,
1. Calls on the Commission, the Council and the Member States of the
EU to recognise the need for the UNITAID patent pool to ensure
availability and affordability of HIV medicines for developing countries
and to actively support the UNITAID HIV patent pool;
2. Calls, together with international humanitarian organizations, on
the pharmaceutical companies to help accelerate the availability of new
treatments for millions of people living with HIV/AIDS, by pooling their
patents on a list of key HIV medicines;
3. Instructs its President to forward this declaration, together with
the names of the
Signatories, to the Commission, the Council and the Member States.
Alexandra Heumber
EU & IP Policy Adviser
Medecins Sans Frontieres
Access to Essential Medicines Campaign
Rue Dupre, 94. 1090 Brussels
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www.msfaccess.org
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Alexandra HEUMBER <Alexandra.HEUMBER@brussels.msf.org>