[Ip-health] Pharmabiz.com- EU blamed for breaking Doha Declaration denying access to cheaper medicines to poor nations

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EU blamed for breaking Doha Declaration denying access to cheaper medicines=
 to poor nations

Thursday, November 19, 2009 08:00 IST
Joseph Alexander, New Delhi

Alleging that the European Union's trade agenda has taken a wrong turn and =
charging the EU with breaking its commitment under the Doha Declaration on =
TRIPS, three leading international organizations have sought corrections in=
 the existing policies and a new approach towards the issue.

In a joint declaration by Oxfam, Health Action International (Europe) and M=
=E9decins Sans Fronti=E8res have claimed that the EU's approach to intellec=
tual property and innovation policies were affecting the developing countri=
es and negatively impacting access to medicines. Unless real reforms are no=
t instituted, it will cause serious harm over the long-term to public healt=
h, they warned.

The joint declaration comes on the occasion of eighth anniversary of the jo=
int Doha declaration on TRIPS and public health. "Under the Doha Declaratio=
n, all countries committed to ensure that public health must be prioritized=
 over trade interests. Our three organizations are deeply disappointed that=
 the EU is breaking this commitment, while also failing to honour its oblig=
ations under the Millennium Development Goals," the declaration said. The o=
rganizations also launched a signature campaign to support its petition, be=
ing planned to be submitted to European Commission in December.

"European Union trade policies consistently threaten access to affordable e=
ssential medicines by seeking to entrench overreaching intellectual propert=
y (IP) rules. The EU has also failed to commit sufficient resources towards=
 promoting medical innovation that meets the needs of people in developing =
countries. Moreover, it has not dedicated financial or political support to=
 new models of innovation that aim to overcome the deficiencies of the pate=
nt system and encourage innovation and access to medicines where they are m=
ost needed," the declaration said.

"If the current EU trade policy remains, it will have a disastrous impact o=
n the lives of millions of people in developing countries. For example the =
Indian generic medicines industry, which exports two-thirds of its producti=
on to developing countries, could face severe restrictions. These restricti=
ons will deny affordable medicines to millions of people in both India and =
India's developing country trading partners," it said.

The European Commission and EU Member States should honour commitments unde=
r the MDGs, the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health, and relevant W=
orld Health Assembly (WHA) resolutions on innovation and access to medicine=
s, including full implementation of the WHO 'Global Strategy and Plan of Ac=
tion'. The European Commission should stop exerting pressure on governments=
 that attempt to introduce safeguards and flexibilities to protect and prom=
ote public health. The European Union should amend its customs regulation E=
C 1383/2003 of 22nd July 2003 to ensure that it does not have a detrimental=
 impact on developing countries, by excluding border measures for violation=
s of pharmaceutical patents, especially for medicines in transit. The EU sh=
ould ensure that the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) does not se=
t higher IP standards that might impede access to medicines in developing c=
ountries. Therefore, the EU should ensure that patents are excluded from an=
y agreed framework, according to the petition.



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