E-DRUG: MSF at WHO EB: Statement on IGWG Global Strategy and Plan of Action
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Please find below the intervention by MSF at the 124th WHO Executive Board
last week, highlighting certain concerns with WHO's follow up to the
Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and
Intellectual Property, since its adoption in May last year.
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MSF INTERNATIONAL
Intervention on Agenda item 4.13 – Public Health, Innovation and
Intellectual Property: Global Strategy and Plan of Action
WHO 124th Executive Board, January 2009
Thank you Chair.
In May last year the World Health Assembly adopted Resolution 61.21 - a
move described by the Director-General as a 'major breakthrough for public
health', and as 'pro-active public health at its very best'.
MSF has continued to engage in this area across a range of issues that
meet our medical needs a for innovation and access, including
co-sponsoring a new initiative to conduct clinical trials for
multidrug-resistant TB, providing support to UNITAID to explore the
establishment of a patent pool, contributing to the UN consultation on a
medicines patent database, and co-financing DNDi, the product development
partnership jointly set up with public research institutes from both South
and North.
EB124/16 contains a report outlining the progress accomplished to date.
Further work is needed. Specific actions are necessary from WHO and Member
States to proactively implement the Global Strategy and Plan of Action.
The indicators adopted as a part of the Global Plan of Action are
quantitative, when qualitative indicators are also required. It's not
just the number or the process that needs to be measured, it is the effect
and the impact.
The Quick Start Programme lists a number of activities that WHO -
irrespective of the Global Strategy and Plan of Action - is already
implementing in existing work plans. It is important to see what new and
additional activities WHO is planning. The Global Strategy is about change
- not about business as usual.
MSF has high expectations of the Expert Working Group on research and
development and finance. It must identify new sources of funding and
develop in-depth analysis and concrete proposals for alternative financing
mechanisms, such as the proposal to WHO by developing country for a prize
fund for a TB diagnostic or new tools for Chagas. These must be
sufficiently developed so that they can be adopted by the WHA in 2010.
Following concerns surrounding the first meeting, transparent criteria
need to be established for the selection of experts invited to provide
testimonies directly to the Expert Working Group.
We recall that in successive Resolutions, the need for the involvement of
all stakeholders has been highlighted. The Expert Group needs to hear the
perspective of all stakeholders on the priority research gaps in
resource-poor settings and on proposals to both foster innovation and
ensure access to medicines. A process should be established for the
continuing involvement of public interest NGOs.
Finally, WHO should clarify how it plans to build on the discussions of
the Expert Group, and when further meetings will be held.
Mr Chair, the Director-General is right that this is a unique opportunity
for 'proactive public health at its very best'. For this opportunity be
realised, it will require the full support of Member States and WHO. MSF
is ready to continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders to ensure
that relevant innovation takes place and that all who need it have access
to it.
Thank you.
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James ARKINSTALL
Senior Communications Officer
Medecins Sans Frontieres - Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines
www.msfaccess.org
+33 1 40 21 2837
James.ARKINSTALL@paris.msf.org