E-DRUG: European Parliament members support Kenyan WHO resolution on Health R&D
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(Note that the letter is signed by MEPs from different EU countries and
representing all the biggest political groups: socia / christ Demo / Libs
and Greens. Apparently, more wanted to sign, but the letter had left
already - letter with same content has been sent to the Austrian EU
Presidency)
Commissioner Kyprianou
DG SanCo
EU Commission
Copy to
Dr. Lee Jong-Wook
Director-General, World Health Organization
Mr M.N. Khan
Chairman of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization
Brussels, January 23 2006
Dear Commissioner Kyprianou,
It has come to our attention that in November 2005, the Republic of Kenya
submitted to the WHO secretariat a draft resolution on a “Global Framework
on Essential Health Research and Development” (R&D) for discussion at the
forthcoming 117th session of the WHO Executive Board.
The European Parliament has been and remains concerned about the fact that
the vast majority of the developing world’s population does not have access
to safe and efficient diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines, either because
these do not exist or because they are unavailable or unaffordable.
Today, according to the WHO, less than 1% of new drugs reaching the market
address diseases that primarily afflict the poor, or are new treatments
which would have the greatest effect in world healthcare.
We are convinced that the resolution provides an invaluable opportunity for
the WHO and its Member States to explore how priorities for essential
health research and development can be set. The proposal also identifies as
crucial the need to ensure sufficient and sustainable funding for R&D
initiatives that address the priority health needs of patients in
developing countries.
We therefore welcome this resolution and we ask you to actively support the
proposal made by the Kenyan delegation.
We remain committed to increased R&D to ensure the availability and
affordability of medicines for populations in developing countries and we
hope for your support to bring this issue further.
We look forward to your participation to this process.
Sincerely,
Dorette Corbey, MEP John Bowis, MEP
Supported by: Satu Hassi, Glenys Kinnock and Vittorio Prodi
Seco GERARD
MSF Access to Medicines Campaign's EU Liaison Officer
C/O MSF
Rue Dupré 94
1090 Brussels
32 2 474 75 09 (dir off)
32 479 514 900 (mobile)