E-DRUG: Vatican promotes access to generic drugs
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[A new interesting alliance was founded: CUMVIVIUM, consisting of Vatican,
catholic pharmacists and the generic industry. Below their formal press
release. Let's hope they don't forget that condoms are also on the essential
drugs list... WB]
CUMVIVIUM
Vatican City May 7, 2004
CUMVIVIUM, A nongovernmental organization, held its first Board meeting
and Syposium in the Vatican today to develop an unprecedented initiative
and alliance with worldwide generic companies to provide accesss to
affordable medicines for those most in need by utilizing the tremendous
outreach of what is also the world's largest heath organization, the
Catholic Church.
"The Catholic Church has a well-established network of 128,000 active
health institutions that have been improving the lives of millions of
people around the world for many decades. Millions of people, including
those in the poorest nations of the world, suffer from illnesses for
which safe, effective, quality generic medicines are available--but they
are denied access to these life-saving drugs. The AIDS and malaria
crises make this abunundly clear. CUMVIVIUM (which means "live together
in friendship") will strive to improve access to affordable medicines
and will build on the Catholic Church's solid infrastructure to enhance
the health of patients around the world," said Alain LeJeune, CUMVIVIUM
President.
CUMVIVIUM is constituted by people from the Holy See, generic
pharmaceutical companies, the International Federation of Catholic
Pharmacies and academics. CUMVIVIUM's goals are to facilitate access of
affordable medicine and to remove all barriers that delay or prevent
consumer healthcare. Among CUMVIVIUM's other efforts will be the
opposition to trade agreements and laws which can impede drugs from
reaching the world's patients; promotion of laws that increase the
utilization of affordable, high-quality medicines and strenghtening of
global pharmaceutical distribution networds to reach people in need.
"It is our hope that this unique partnership will improve the quality of
life for everyone, everywhere. We will make a beginning in the
institutions within the Catholic network," Lejeune said.
The organizations at the meeting represent eighty percent of the world's
generic pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Participating in the Board and Symposium at the Vatican were
representatives from the Associon Nacion
Fabricantes de Medicamentos (ANAFAM-Mexico), Biogenerics, Inc., Cipla,
Ltd., the European Generic Medicines Association (EU),the Generic
Pharmaceutical Association (GpHA, US), the International Federation of
Catholic Pharmacists, as well as academics and health advocates).
EU Contact Alain Lejune, +32 71 877145; email Pharmaworld.scrl@gate71.be
US Contact M. Fabiana Jorge, +1 202 2237017; email mfjorge@mfjint. com
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