[Ip-health] Dying for Drugs: Forgotten Children in the Developing World

[Eowynne Feeney]

A short video focusing on the need to reform Canada's Access to
Medicines Regime (CAMR) and develop usable pediatric ARVs, titled
"Dying for Drugs: Forgotten Children in the Developing World" =A0has
just been posted on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DbG7_tQir0-s

Almost five years ago, Parliament responded to the urgent need for
medicines in many developing countries by creating =93Canada=92s Access to
Medicines Regime=94 (CAMR), with the goal of getting affordable
medicines to people in the developing world. Unfortunately, that
laudable initiative was, and is, seriously flawed.

But now there is a chance to fix it! Join us in applying pressure on
Canadian parliamentarians to streamline the law and implement an easy
to use "one-license" solution. As a result of NGOs=92 efforts, new
legislation was =A0introduced in Parliament in recent months to
streamline CAMR: Bill S-232 in the Senate and Bill C-393 in the House
of Commons. =A0These Bills offer the opportunity to finally get the
regime right. The key feature of the proposed Bills is the
=93one-licence=94 solution. =A0Instead of the country-by-country,
order-by-order process of compulsory licensing currently found in
CAMR, this legislation would require just one compulsory licence on a
patented medicine. =A0The one-licence solution would allow export of the
drug to any of the developing countries covered by the law and
provides for flexibility in the quantity of the drug to be exported,
meaning it would be no longer necessary to determine the maximum
quantity of the drugs needed in advance.

The Canadian government has the ability to save lives and get
essential medicines to ailing patients in developing countries. Go to
www.aidslaw.ca/camr to take action today.

Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DbG7_tQir0-s


Thank you,
Eowynne Feeney
Outreach and Development Coordinator
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network
efeeney@aidslaw.ca