[Ip-health] World Health Assembly, governments rise to the occasion and work together for health

[Colleen Daniels]

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HAI Statement - please post.



*At the 59th World Health Assembly, governments rise to the occasion and
work together for health *



Health Action International (HAI) applauds the decision of the World Health
Assembly (WHA) to pass a resolution which calls on governments to act to
boost innovative research and development (R&D) of medicines. The passing of
this resolution indicates that governments recognize the crisis in R&D and
the failure of current systems to effectively address health needs in
developing countries. The resolution builds on the findings of the
Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Public Health
(CIPIH)) report and acknowledges the need for immediate action.



The resolution calls on the WHO to "establish an intergovernmental working
group to develop a global strategy and plan of action to provide a framework
based on the recommendations of the CIPIH report. The global strategy and
plan of action will in particular address ways to secure an enhanced and
sustainable basis for needs-driven, essential health R&D relevant to
diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries".



Health Action International (HAI) is confident that the Director General
will act in line with the urgency of the mandate given by member states to
constitute the intergovernmental working group.



HAI, an NGO active in the Commission's consultations and member of Consumers
International looks forward to making a positive contribution to
ameliorating the crisis in R&D.



"This is an historic opportunity for all actors in global public health to
respond to the call of the member states to do something meaningful and
lasting to improve global public health. The magnitude of the crisis demands
that we work with each other in a constructive and forward thinking fashion.
We know we can rise to this challenge," says Colleen Daniels, coordinator of
the HAI Essential Innovations project.



" This week the WHA has tackled a contentious issue with more grace and
better outcomes than many had predicted.   The decision to create a new
working group that will include a mandate to address the setting of
essential health R&D priorities and sustainable funding
mechanisms is very important.   R&D is too important to be left up to one
person (Bill Gates), one country (US NIH/CDC) or private investors alone.
It is also the beginning of a serious discussion of how we can reconcile
incentives to innovate with access.  Now we need to focus on  the working
group," said James Love, Director of the Consumer Project on Technology.



For more information, contact Colleen Daniels at:  colleen@haiweb.org; Tel:
+31 (0)20 683 3684

Health Action International (HAI) is an independent, global network of over
200 consumer, health, development and other public interest groups involved
in health and pharmaceutical issues in 70 countries worldwide. HAI works to
increase access to essential medicines and improve their rational use. HAI
actively promotes a more rational use of drugs and believes that all drugs
marketed should meet real medical needs, have therapeutic advantages, be
acceptably safe and offer value for money.