[Ip-health] STATEMENT ON PATENT POOL SCOPE BY UNITAID CHAIR

[UNITAID Communication]

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*STATEMENT ON PATENT POOL SCOPE BY UNITAID CHAIR *

*PHILIPPE DOUSTE-BLAZY*

 To fulfil its mission of scaling up access to medicines in developing
countries, UNITAID has elaborated an implementation plan for an HIV/AIDS
medicines patent pool. That plan will be discussed for approval at UNITAID=
=92s
Executive Board meeting next week, on 14 December. In developing the plan,
UNITAID has consulted widely with a variety of stakeholders, spanning from
communities living with the disease to public health and intellectual
property experts and pharmaceutical companies.

Given that UNITAID=92s mandate is to ensure that medicines are made availab=
le
according to public health needs, and particularly in countries where the
disease is widespread, the Patent Pool plan aims to enable both low- and
middle-income countries to benefit from the work of the Patent Pool.

In keeping with UNITAID=92s constitution, the Patent Pool in no way means t=
o
replace or override other provisions contained in the Trade Related Aspects
of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement or the Doha Declaration o=
n
TRIPS and Public Health. The Patent Pool represents an additional tool to
increase access to HIV treatment, and an opportunity for patent holders to
voluntarily contribute to the attainment of crucial health-related goals
endorsed by the international community.



*www.unitaid.eu* <http://www.unitaid.eu/>