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Access to medicines is a basic human right.
But this right is compromised when high prices limit individual access and threaten the sustainability of healthcare systems.
At the Pharmaceutical Accountability Foundation, our mission is to ensure affordable access to medicines for all. We believe that to make this possible, pharmaceutical companies must be held more accountable for their responsibilities under international human rights law.
Highlights 2023
Thanks in part to your support, we have taken important steps towards a more equitable world in 2023. Some highlights from the past year:
Campaign: Time to legislate
In February, we launched our campaign supported by the People’s Vaccine Alliance and Frontline Aids. Our aim was to explore how governments can create an enabling environment around access to medicines through stronger regulation of the pharmaceutical sector. The policy brief that we wrote in connection with the campaign was picked up by members of the Dutch Parliament.
Launch of our principle case against AbbVie
On 21st February, we brought a lawsuit against pharmaceutical company AbbVie for unfair, excessive pricing practices on its blockbuster medicine Humira (adalimumab), based on tort law (violation of AbbVie’s social duty of care), competition law (abuse of its dominant market position), and international human rights law.
Op-ed: Make medicines affordable - without going to court
Tom Buis (Wemos) in collaboration with PAF’s chair Wilbert Bannenberg, published an op-ed in Politico Europe on our lawsuit against AbbVie. They argue that cases like these could be prevented if governments introduced new pharmaceutical policies regarding transparency, and the introduction of conditions to publicly funded R&D of medicines.
Education and knowledge-sharing
Wilbert Bannenberg gave a lecture on the ethical obligations of pharmaceutical companies and the Fair Pharma Scorecard at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, to students of the Pharmaceutical Policy course (MSc level).
Wilbert Bannenberg and Katrina Perehudoff (PAF Advisory Board member) also contributed to the Pharmaceutical Policy course delivered by Utrecht University, in the form of a seminar on human rights and access to medicines.
Additionally, three international public health students wrote their Master thesis with PAF on access to CDCA and Mexiletine across various EU countries. All three students were awarded their Master degrees at the end of September.
The Fair Pharma Scorecard at the European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health (ECTMIH) 2023!
Wilbert Bannenberg and Rosalind Turkie (PAF coordinator & human rights researcher) gave a presentation on the Fair Pharma Scorecard at the ECTMIH 2023 Conference, held in Utrecht. The focus was on the value of human rights benchmarking and how human rights can contribute to advancing Universal Health Coverage and equitable access to medicines.
AbbVie responds to procedural concerns
On 15th November, AbbVie responded to PAF’s subpoena, focusing on procedural issues. AbbVie claims inter alia that PAF’s case is inadmissible since it was not directly harmed by AbbVie’s pricing practices. AbbVie further claims that the Dutch court has no jurisdiction to hear the claim against AbbVie Inc. because AbbVie’s main headquarters is in the USA. These claims are distractions in an attempt to delay or avoid addressing the substantive issues of the case.
Support us
Your trust in our Foundation makes our work possible. As a donor, you help us give access to medicines the priority it deserves. With an additional gift, you can do even more to support our cause. Thank you!
We would like to thank you for your engagement and support over the last 12 months, and wish you a very happy festive season. See you in 2024!
Wilbert Bannenberg, PAF Chairperson
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