E-drug: MSF and Oxfam press statement on WTO drugs deal
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Flawed WTO drugs deal will do little to secure future access to medicines
in developing countries
Geneva, 30 August 2003
Today's WTO agreement that is ostensibly intended to get drugs to the
poorest countries does not provide a workable solution, according to
M�decins Sans Fronti�res (MSF) and Oxfam.
"Today's deal was designed to offer comfort to the US and the Western
pharmaceutical industry," said Ellen 't Hoen of MSF. "Unfortunately, it
offers little comfort for poor patients. Global patent rules will continue
to drive up the price of medicines."
The original intention of the talks was to facilitate the supply of
affordable generic drugs for developing countries. However, this agreement
has thrown up new legal, economic, and political obstacles to ensuring
production and export of generic medicines in the future. The statement
that the US insisted on adds another layer of uncertainty that leaves
developing countries vulnerable to pressure not to use the system.
"Today, countries can use compulsory licenses for import, because a supply
of generic versions of many drugs is available somewhere on the world
market," said C�line Charveriat of Oxfam. "What Members do not seem to take
into account is that the burdensome system being put in place does nothing
to ensure that generic production will happen in the future. Rather,
developing countries will have little alternative to the high prices and
long-term monopolies of brand-name pharmaceutical companies."
Yesterday, over twenty developing countries were voicing concerns about the
text. Today, they have come under tremendous pressure to adopt it. However,
this disappointing outcome must not prevent countries from immediately
taking measures that are allowed under WTO patent rules in order to access
affordable medicines and save lives.
(end)
For further information, please contact:
- Ellen 't Hoen, M�decins Sans Fronti�res, tel. +33 6 223 758 71
- C�line Charveriat, Oxfam, tel. +41 22 321 2371
ingrid.cox@geneva.msf.org
Access Essential Drugs Monitor #32 at http://www.who.int/medicines/mon/mon32.shtml
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