E-drug: HAI releases report on public-private 'partnerships'
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Dear E-Drug Readers,
Public-private 'partnerships' have become a new trend in addressing public
health issues. HAI has just released a critical report on this topic that
may be of interest to you. HAI will be focusing attention on WHO's
increasing dependence on the private sector at next week's World Health
Assembly.
With best wishes,
Lisa Hayes, HAI Europe
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Announcement
HAI Europe report highlights risks related to WHO's and others' involvement
in public-private partnerships
For release: Amsterdam, 9 May 2001
HAI Europe today published a report examining the public health and
political risks related to public-private 'partnerships'. Based upon the
proceedings of a HAI Europe/BUKO Pharma Kampagne seminar held late last
year, the report evaluates the risks and benefits involved in
public-private interactions and tries to determine why the trend towards
partnership has developed and captured the imagination of public agencies.
To date, HAI believes too little attention has been given to assessing how
these initiatives affect the health and conditions of those they are meant
to help. HAI has questioned if increased interaction with the commercial
sector is a major way forward towards WHO's goal of Health For All. The
global network has called for WHO to demonstrate that the poor directly
benefit from public-private partnerships.
In one week health ministers from around the world will gather in Geneva
for the 54th World Health Assembly. There they will discuss the effects of
WHO's co-operation with the private sector among other topics. During the
meeting, HAI will hold a briefing session for delegates analysing the
consequences of some well-known public-private interactions involving WHO.
It will also call on WHO to strengthen its guidelines on working with the
private sector to better safeguard the organisation's role, responsibility
and reputation.
The seminar's goal was to open the debate on public-private interactions
and determine some of the key issues that need to be more thoroughly
examined by NGOs, public officials and health organisations to assess if
such joint initiatives are a beneficial or ultimately harmful trend. There
are many questions that need to be asked, and more importantly, to be
answered. Critical analysis of the long-term health and political
consequences caused by such public-private ventures is necessary. HAI
believes civil society has a role to play in ensuring that sustainable,
responsible solutions are put forward that meet public health needs and not
just corporate agendas. The report "Public-private 'partnerships':
Addressing public health needs or corporate agendas?" is now available in
full text on the HAI website at:
http://www.haiweb.org/campaign/PPI/seminar200011.html.
For more information about HAI's plans for the World Health Assembly or to
receive copies of its briefing papers on public-private 'partnerships' or
increasing access to essential medicines, contact:
Lisa Hayes
Communications Director
HAI Europe
tel: (+31-20) 683 3684
fax: (+31-20) 685 5002
e-mail: hai@hai.antenna.nl
or visit HAI's website: http://www.haiweb.org
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