[Ip-health] FYI: Commission Roundtable on Access to medicines on April 28 in Brussels

[Manon Anne Ress]

IP/Brussels, Access to medicines : Commission hosts Round Table to seek
solutions for developing countries

The European Commission will host a Round Table on access to medicines
for developing countries on 28 April in Brussels. The event will bring
together representatives from developing and developed countries,
international organisations, industry and non-governmental
organisations. They will seek solutions to boost research and
development for new medicines, as well as ways of producing both new and
established medicines at prices developing countries can afford.

European Commission President Romano Prodi, who will open the event,
said: =91The European Commission has taken the lead in trying to find ways
of making sure people in poor countries get the essential medicines they
need. We have made headway thanks to our Programme of Action, but now
it=92s time for all stakeholders to take stock and plan ahead.=92 EU Trade
Commissioner Pascal Lamy will host a panel examining trade aspects of
this issue, while EU Research and Development Commissioner Philippe
Busquin will chair a session on research and development.

High-level participants at the Round Table will look at the entire cycle
of medicines from research to delivery. They will focus on the issues
and formulate actions to be undertaken. The one-day meeting will also
help to identify possible interventions in international events, such as
the G-8 summit in Evian, where health issues will be on the agenda.

Background

In February 2001 the Commission adopted a Programme for Action (COM
2001/96) which lays down the EU strategy in the fight against
communicable diseases. An update of the programme including the
challenges ahead was adopted in February 2003 (COM 2003/93).

Round Table programme outline:

Session one : Working with developing countries in research
Examine means to contribute to research in poverty-related diseases;
partnerships between Europe and developing countries; involvement of
private partners in research programmes as well as fund raising, local
political support and capacity building.

Session two: Improving access to drugs in developing countries at
National Level.

Clarify bottlenecks in access; about 95% of essential medicines are not
patent-protected, and ensuring better access to these in low and
middle-income countries is vital. For patented drugs, acceptable
modalities for the application  of TRIPs, as well as agreements on
tiered pricing are possible ways ahead.

Session three: Affordability, tariffs on pharmaceuticals, local and
regional production and international funding
Examine pricing and supply of medicines in developing countries,
possibilities for local production and transfer of technology; role of
voluntary and compulsory licensing and the fight against trade diversion.




--
Manon Anne Ress
Consumer Project on Technology
www.cptech.org
PO Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036
manon.ress@cptech.org, voice: 1.202.387.8030, fax: 1.202.234.5176