E-drug: MSF Press Conference on TB
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[Too late for most of us, but for your information, KM, moderator]
Should you be in Brussels on Tuesday ......
MEDIA ADVISORY
ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL MEDICINES CAMPAIGN
WHAT: PRESS CONFERENCE
TB kills 2 million people per year. Drug resistance is spreading
MSF calls for EU leadership to fight TB and to ensure access to
medicines
Every year 2 million people die from TB and there are 8 million new
cases, almost all in the Developing World. TB is curable but the
standard treatment (DOTS) is difficult to implement widely in poor
countries. Resistance to TB medicines is spreading. Multi-drug
resistant TB (MDRTB), currently costing between $US 5,000 and 8,000
per patient, is a death sentence for the vast majority.
There is an urgent need for renewed research and development for new
vaccines and TB treatments and increased access to existing
life-saving drugs to treat MDRTB. However, the last novel treatment
was developed over 30 years ago; the last vaccine in 1923. This is
because in today's market, essential life-saving medicines are treated
like other commercial product, and TB is not a 'viable market'.
To date, government has failed, the pharmaceutical industry has
failed, and market forces alone will fail to address the global TB
pandemic.
MSF will call on the European Commission and EU member states to show
leadership in the fight against TB: on Research and Development;
balancing intellectual property rights with the rights of individuals
to health-care and access to life-saving medicines.
March 24th is World TB Day. Next week in Amsterdam Health and
Development Ministers from the EU and donor countries will meet with
ministers from the 22 countries most affected by TB at WHO Ministerial
Conference on TB and Sustainable Development.
WHEN: Tuesday March 21, 2000 10:30 am
WHERE: International Press Centre - Room S1 - 5th floor
1 Boulevard Charlemagne, 1030 Brussels
WHO: Dr James Orbinski - MSF International Council President
Andrei Slavuckij - MSF volunteer Siberian prisons/TB dr
Photos and Betacam TB images will be available (VNR from Kenya and
Siberia)
For further information please call: MSF International Campaigns
Co-ordinator Samantha Bolton Tel: +322 280 1881 / Dir.: 234 62 52
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