E-DRUG: HIV/AIDS resolution adopted by WHA Committee
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Dear Readers,
This morning one of the WHA's committee adopted a revised resolution on
HIV/AIDS entitled "Scaling up response to HIV/AIDS".
The text is quite a bit softer than that originally set out in the Brazilian
proposal. It does include a key paragraph which reads:
Urges member states:
"in order to increase access to medicines, to cooperative constructively in
strengthening pharmaceutical policies and practices, including those
applicable to generic drugs and intellectual property regimes, in order
further to promote innovation and the development of domestic industries
consistent with international law."
Also, in its final paragraph, the text reads:
Urges the Director General...
"to take an active part, together with other international actors, in the
development and establishment of a global HIV/AIDS and health fund,
including promoting mechanisms for a transparent and participatory
governance structure including representatives of civil society."
As you can imagine, both of these paragraphs can mean a lot of things to
different people (for example, civil society, could be industry NGOs, etc.)
so interpretations will differ on what has actually been agreed.
The global AIDS and health fund continues to be a main topic of interest in
committee meetings and in the corridor. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan came
to Geneva on Thursday to present his vision of the fund, but unfortunately
his words provided little news about the structure and management of the
fund. After an IFPMA press conference earlier this week, we heard that the
industry certainly didn't rule out a role for itself in the fund.
The Revised Drug Strategy resolution and report are now being discussed in
committee. Again this discussion will be based on a compromise resolution
brought forward by Brazil and Sweden (on behalf of the EU). This version is
also weaker than the original Brazilian text. A few countries suggested
changes this morning and we understand the US made objections concerning
text about human rights and pricing. Sources say the differences have now
been worked out and the committee is expected to adopt it this afternoon.
When the text is available, we will post it.
Best wishes,
Lisa Hayes
HAI Europe
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