E-drug: Patents and Access to drugs (cont'd)
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Hi! Maybe this debate has been effectively and definitively changed
now that Canada and the US find patents work against them in
providing enough drugs for potential anthrax cases? As the french
say "quelque chose malheur est bon". So can we widen the debate
to what is the ethics of pharmaceutical development and
production, including pricing? Could a selling point be that instead
of spending millions in publicity, a minimum fixed percentage should
go to the development of priority drugs and vaccines? That fixed
proportion is the ceiling that can be spent on publicity to the
general public and the profession. These products should be sold at
prices with a maximum benefit margin, making them more
affordable in developing countries and for the poor in developed
countries. If you answer the need of the masses even a small profit
margin permits to make a lot of money in the market of
consumables. Pharmaceutical industries could then be rated on their
contribution to the global public good and that score should be
made public.
Cecile De Sweemer MD DRPH
Technical Assistant Coordinator
Health System Reform Programme
Laos
e-mail: btamoh@laotel.com
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