[Ip-health] IGWG Statement by Ethan Guillen of Universities Allied for Essential Medicines

[Ethan Guillen]

May 3, 2008

Today Ethan Guillen, Executive Director of Universities Allied for Essential
Medicines (www.essentialmedicine.org), issued the following statement on the
World Health Organization Intergovernmental Working Group in Public Health,
Innovation and Intellectual Property:

"We were pleased to see the advancement in the negotiations of important
issues like technology transfer that promotes innovation of and access to
medicines for the developing world.  We're hopeful that consensus
recommendations on open licensing and other technology transfer provisions
agreed to during this round will send a strong message to universities: they
need to adopt policies that will free up the tools of innovation and make
medicines discovered on campuses available at low-cost in the developing
world.

"However, the lack of bold commitment by most of the rich countries is
surprising to say the least.  That there had to be stiff negotiations on the
idea that the cost of medicines impedes access in the developing world makes
you wonder if some negotiators hadn't noticed that busloads of American
retirees who have to hop across the U.S. border to Canada to get drugs they
can afford.  New incentive mechanisms are obviously necessary to promote R&D
for medicines that don't have a market in the developed world.

"Universities can lend a credible voice to the continuing effort but sadly,
haven't yet positively engaged.  Given that the process will now continue
beyond the November elections in the U.S., they now have a renewed
opportunity to work toward a stronger final strategy."