[Ip-health] Kuwait News Agency: Doctors without Borders calls for support for research on neglected diseases

[Sheila.SHETTLE@geneva.msf.org]

Doctors without Borders calls for support for research on neglected
diseases

GENEVA, Jan 25 (KUNA) -- Doctors withhout Borders (MSF) said that they
supported a draft resolution proposed by the Kenyan and Brazilian
governments at the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board, that
promises to change the ways priorities are set in health research and
development.

The draft resolution calls on the WHO to establish a working group to
consider proposals for a global framework in support of needs-driven
research.

It provides a process to build a new global RD system that would ensure
sustainable funding for public health priorities not only for neglected
diseases, but for medicines in general.

Dr. Tim Hubbard, Head of Human Genome Research, Wellcome Trust Sanger
Institute, Cambridge University and Dr. Bernard Pcoul Executive Director,
Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative DNDi, were among the 4000
scientists who expressed support for the draft resolution.

In addition to those 4000 scientists, some 20 Nobel Laureates have
supported the efforts of Brazil and Kenya in this direction.

Dr. Bernard Pcoul noted that this draft resolution is important when we
know that today the existing tools will not control the spread of HIV/AIDS
in Africa.

He added that the greatest challenge today is to use scientific and medical
advances to bring better health to the most needy and neglected.

Dr. Tim Hubbard said that if each country connects one center of scientific
excellence to the internet, then the whole world will be connected in this
scientific endeavor to bring a better healthy life for the neglected
worldwide.


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Sheila Shettle
Communications Officer
M=E9decins Sans Fronti=E8res
Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines
Rue de Lausanne 78
1211 Geneva
Switzerland
+ 41.22.849.8403
sheila.shettle@geneva.msf.org
www.accessmed-msf.org