[Ip-health] Pharmalot: At WHO Meeting, Patient Group Has Pharma Ties

[Sarah Rimmington]

http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/04/bristol-myers-blinks-over-erbitux-price-in=
-canada/

At WHO Meeting, Patient Group Has Pharma Ties
April 28th, 2008 7:39 am By Ed Silverman

A World Health Organization group that meets in Geneva today to debate
ways to improve access to drugs in the developing world and promoting
R&D for new meds is, of course, going to attract input from all sides,
including industry, academics, patients groups and non-govermental
organizations, or NGOs.

However, many individuals who signed a =93Patient Declaration=94 have
undisclosed ties to pharma, as does the patient advocacy group that is
circulating the petition, according to Essential Action, a non-profit
project that focuses on public health and corporate accountability, and
is funded by the Open Society
Institute and the Ford Foundation.

In a report issued today, the advocacy group notes that six of seven
advisory board members at Patients and Patents have connections to
drugmakers, as do 61 of the 110 people who signed its declaration, which
shares the view of the patent system espoused by pharma, according to an
advance copy obtained by Essential Action (a copy was not provided in
its report).

Patients and Patents describes itself as patient-driven and
patient-focused resource whose goal is to inform and engage patient
groups, advocates and other stakeholders from around the world on issues
surrounding medical innovation and access to treatments. But the group,
whose policy is set by its advisory board, doesn=92t contain the
disclosures for board members that Essential Action notes in its report.

=93There clearly is a crucial role for patient and public health
oorganizations in the WHO debates over R&D for the developing world,=94
Essential Action director Robert Weissman says in a statement. =93But
groups that are
dependent on Big Pharma, or tied to the industry, should not present
themselves as independent voices in the debate.=94

Interestingly, the Patients and Patents web site doesn=92t seem to offer
any contact info, but we have written an advisory board member seeking
comment and will reach out to others in hopes of obtaining comment. If
and when we do, we will provide an update.

--
Sarah Rimmington
Attorney
Essential Action, Access to Medicines Project
Washington, DC
Tel: (202) 387-8030
Cell: (202) 422-2687
www.essentialaction.org/access/