[Pharm-policy] Msimang, EU discuss cheap drugs

[James Love]

This is a bit dated, but interesting report from South Africa, regarding
SA Minister Msimang's meetings with the EU on access to medicines.
Jamie


http://www.news24.co.za/News24/Health/Health_News/0,1113,2-14-660_918015,00.html


             27/09/2000 14:25 - (SA)
             Msimang, EU discuss cheap drugs

Liezel de Lange

Johannesburg - Health
Minister Dr Manto
Tshabalala-Msimang will this week hold talks with
European Union (EU) representatives over ways to
provide cheaper drugs to patients, including those
who are HIV/Aids positive.

A decision taken last week by the EU to assist
developing countries with cheaper drugs in terms of
World Health Organisation (WHO) stipulations has
elicited strong reaction from pharmaceutical
companies.

The WHO's Tripps agreement provides for parallel
imports and compulsory licensing in terms of which
patent rights of the original manufacturer are
circumvented.

Several African countries do not implement the
Tripps agreement because of a lack of legal
expertise and as they are "under pressure not to
implement the agreement," EU trade commissioner
Pascal Lamy told Sapa-dpa. "We will investigate the
possibilities of the Tripps agreement together with
our partners in developing countries in order to
address public health crises."

Msimang's legal adviser Advocate Patricia Lambert
said she and the minister would meet with EU
representatives in Brussels on Thursday. "The
meeting will focus on cheaper prices for all drugs,"
she said.

"The new-found interest of the EU in aiding
developing countries to violate patent rights is
incorrectly focussed," said pharmaceutical
manufacturers association (PMA) chief Mirryéna Deeb.

It is indeed the poorest countries, such as India,
without patent legislation, who experience the most
problems with gaining access to reliable drugs. In
addition they are not developing new drugs. "If
patents are not respected, the pharmaceutical
industry would not be encouraged to experiment with
new drugs for diseases specific to these countries."

-- 
James Love, Consumer Project on Technology
v. 1.202.387.8030, fax 1.202.234.5176
love@cptech.org, http://www.cptech.org