[Ip-health] The Lancet supports HIV/AIDS medicines patent pool

Thu Jul 30 17:49:46 2009

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Dear All,

Please find below an editorial from the Lancet supporting the HIV/AIDS
medicines patent pool.
The All party UK MPs report "The treatment Timebomb" can be found here:
http://www.aidsportal.org/repos/APPGTimebomb091.pdf

=93Political activism is needed once more to ensure that the next generatio=
n
of drugs is available to the world=92s poorest=94, according to a report fr=
om
the UK All-Parliamentary Group on AIDS published last week. *The Treatment
Timebomb *describes itself as an important wake-up call to those who think
that successful delivery on the promise of universal access to HIV treatmen=
t
can be achieved in the long term by just doing more of the same. One of the
report=92s recommendations, supported by International Development Minister
Mike Foster, is the implementation of a patent pool for HIV drugs.
Pharmaceutical companies insist that patents are an important incentive for
research and development into HIV medicines but, perversely, patents can
also hinder such research. Patent pools could create a win-win situation.
Under this system, patent holders would still be rewarded=97the originator
drug company would receive a proportion of the royalties=97while enabling t=
he
generic production of newer HIV drugs and the development of new fixed-dose
combinations. The concept of patent pools is not new. The Intergovernmental
Working Group on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property
(IGWG)=97established at the World Health Assembly in 2006 to find innovativ=
e
solutions to fund research and development in neglected diseases=97has
repeatedly called for a patent pool which would be managed by UNITAID. Drug
companies have dismissed these calls preferring the status quo, so it is
unsurprising that the UK drug firm GlaxoSmithKline has stated that it does
not see the need for the patent pool proposed by the All-Parliamentary
Group. Although the voice of the All-Parliamentary Group is a welcome
addition to the fight for improved access to essential medicines, unless
there is political clout behind the rhetoric, drug companies will continue
to resist potential solutions, such as patent pools. Who better to hold the
UK Government to account on its commitment to universal access to HIV
treatment and drive the political activism called for in the report than
members of parliament themselves?"

The Lancet - www.thelancet.com Vol. 374 July 25, 2009

Kind regards,
Marie Boroli

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UNITAID - Medicines Patent Pool Initiative
20 Avenue Appia // 1211 Geneva 27 // Switzerland
Tel +41 22 791 3778 // Fax +41 22 791 4890
utdmppi@gmail.com // borolim@who.int // www.unitaid.eu

What is a Patent Pool?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DVj0dbFgjoh4