[Ip-health] Public interest NGO quotes on WHO R&D resolution (EB117.R13)

[Thiru Balasubramaniam]

Wednesday, 24 May 2006

Silvia Mancini (MSF-Rome), "It is important that governments take
responsibility in promoting essential health research and development
and creating a needs driven agenda".

James Arkinstall (MSF Access Campaign), =93It=92s about time we changed the
rules of the game=94.

Dr. Tido von Schoen-Angerer (MSF), =93The new efforts undertaken by
private companies and PDPs for neglected diseases are not enough=94.

Nicoletta Dentico (DNDi), =93There is a compelling need to shift the
discussion of medical R&D from WTO to WHO. WHO has to show once again
the leadership it displayed during the creation of the essential drugs
concept in the 1970s. The challenge here is to extend the concept of
essentiality- which is a human rights driven concept- from =93downstream=94
medical tools such as drugs, diagnostics and vaccines to the =93upstream=94
processes of R&D. It is not just a question of throwing more money into
R&D, it is about which patients we respond to.=94

Martin Khor (TWN) =93Developing countries urgently need a global
discussion at the WHO on how to solve our most pressing health problems
that new medicines are not forthcoming at affordable costs to treat the
most pressing diseases. We hope that a working group will be created to
discuss all these complex issues relating to the research and
development of medical products including their delivery-especially to
the poor.=94

Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhury (Gonoshasthaya Kendra): =93After a long continuing
struggle against the multinational commercial interests toward public
health, this Kenyan/Brazilian proposal on R&D is a right step in the
right direction for the achievement of the rights of the people.
Countries, politicians and the people have realized that R&D and public
health cannot be subject to the WTO paradigm but rather it should be
under the aegis of the WHO where public health takes primacy over
commercial interests. I hope drafting committees of the WHO would not
take too much time as it would ultimately kill the proposal. All of us
must remember that if quality medicines are not affordable, the poor
cannot access essential health tools to improve their lives and
livelihoods and this would ultimately affect the sustainability of the
current system.=94

Khalid Elouardighi (Act UP Paris): =93The current system is not adequately
delivering paediatric ARVs. Developed countries have to recognize this
market failure and come up with a way to fix the system. The World
Health Organization is ideally placed to provide proposals on this
subject.=94

Thomas Gebauer (Medico International): =93 It is high time to ensure
everybody=92s access to essential health care. The modern globalized world
should not accept that millions of people only die because urgently
needed drugs are not available or developed. R&D has to respond to
health needs. Since the market and profit oriented system of health R&D
has failed, it is up to the public and governments to change. That is
what the Kenya/Brazil resolution stands for.

Christian Wagner (Buko Pharma-Kampagne): =93The Kenya resolution is a
major step for discussing alternative solutions for pharmaceutical R&D.=94

Patrick Mubangizi (HAI Africa): =93We support the Kenya/Brazil resolution
as a way to improve mechanisms for research and development especially
its emphasis on priority setting for neglected diseases that are needed
for the poor and marginalized in Africa. Governments of Africa have the
mandate to change the R&D system that has failed.=94

Dr. Mira Shiva (HAI Asia Pacific): =93To ensure that the essential drugs
of tomorrow are available, appropriate R&D has to be done today. And
appropriate being from the perspective of those who needlessly die and
suffer from diseases for which there could be affordable and accessible
solutions. This includes quick diagnosis, effective, safe and rational
treatment ensuring gender and socially equitable distribution and
delivery.=94

Dr. Tim Reed (HAI Europe): =93This is a crucial resolution that will
propel the debate on essential medicines to meet people-led health needs.=
=94

Colleen Daniels (HAI Europe): "The current system that drives research
and development does not offer an opportunity to respond to global
public health needs - it needs to be reviewed and changed. There is no
lack of ideas or creativity and we should offer a forum where all
innovative mechanisms can be developed and considered. The Kenya/Brazil
resolution now offers us a chance to change the way we view research and
development," said Colleen Daniels

James Love (CPTech) "Right now the important decisions about setting
priorities and financing R&D are made by the WTO, WIPO and the G8. The
World Health Organization needs to start a conversation about how we
fund R&D, and this conversation should include discussions of how
priorities are set, how the burden of paying for R&D is shared, and how
we ensure access to new inventions. A new global framework for R&D could
take different forms, depending upon country views. For example, one
could imagine something quite simple, like a set of soft norms and more
collaboration and sharing of information, focusing only on narrow areas
of priority research. Or, there might be support for a more
comprehensive and formal agreement, such as the Framework Convention on
R&D that was proposed by Brazil and a number of public health
stake-holders. We will have to see what is proposed, and the degree of
public and government support for the alternatives. We also need to look
at this as a process, that could involve both short term confidence
building steps, with more ambitious measures possible over a longer time
period. We have to be realistic about the capacity of the public health
community to engage on R&D issues, and also to recognize how the
importance of this initiative, and to explain the benefits in ways that
are easy to understand."