E-DRUG: Statement on Patent Pool Scope
---------------------------------
BY UNITAID CHAIR
PHILIPPE DOUSTE-BLAZY
To fulfil its mission of scaling up access to medicines in developing countries, UNITAID has elaborated an implementation plan for an HIV and AIDS medicines patent pool. That plan will be discussed for approval at UNITAID's Executive Board meeting next week, on 14 December. In developing the plan, UNITAID has consulted widely with a variety of stakeholders, spanning from communities living with the
disease to public health and intellectual property experts and pharmaceutical companies.
Given that UNITAID's mandate is to ensure that medicines are made available according to public health needs, and particularly in countries where the disease is widespread, the Patent Pool plan aims to enable both low- and middle-income countries to benefit from the work of the Patent Pool.
In keeping with UNITAID's constitution, the Patent Pool in no way means to replace or override other provisions contained in the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement or the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health. The Patent Pool represents an additional tool to increase access to HIV treatment, and an opportunity for patent holders to voluntarily contribute to the attainment of crucial health-related goals endorsed by the international community.