[Pharm-policy] US Government response to TACD recommendations on access to medicines

[James Love]

This is an extremely thin, general and inadequate response the TACD
recommendations on access to medicines.

----
TACD Trade Working Group

ACCESS TO PHARMACEUTICALS ISSUES

On May 10, President Clinton issued Executive Order 13155 directing the
USG not to seek the revocation or revision of any intellectual property
law or policy of a Sub-Saharan African country that promotes access to
HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals or medical technologies if that law is
consistent with the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual
Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement).

The order allows flexibility while encouraging beneficiary sub-Saharan
countries to implement policies designed to address the underlying
causes of HIV/AIDS, and the building and strengthening of public health
infrastructure.

The US has also announced new initiatives:

The Millennium Initiative provides tax credits and incentives to promote
increased research and development for new drugs and vaccines for
HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB, and other infectious diseases.

We are also providing $50 million to support the Global Access to
Vaccines and Immunizations program, in which WHO coordinates public and
private sector investments to make vaccines.

We continue to work with our pharmaceutical industry to encourage them
to do what they can in enhancing access to drugs, and they have joined
in the UNAIDS announcement with other pharmaceutical companies to make
drugs available to developing nations at greatly reduced prices.

President Clinton signed a bill on August 19 authorizing USAID to spend
up to $300 million on AIDS prevention.  The bill also instructed the
Secretary of Treasury to negotiate the creation of an AIDS Trust Fund at
the World Bank.  The Trust Fund would provide grants for AIDS
prevention, care and education to countries hit hardest by the disease. 

We encourage the EU, G-8 nations, and other donors to help improve the
delivery of existing vaccines in developing countries, and work together
to increase financial incentives for the development of vaccines against
HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis through GAVI and in direct bilateral
collaborations.

Drafted by OES/EID Nancy Carter-Foster 647-2435
June 15, 2000
Revised by EB/TPP/MTA/STA Margaret Enis 647-4864
September 8, 2000

Cleared:
EB/TPP/MTA: J Gagnon 
EB/PAS: C Thompson 
EB/TPP/MTA/IPC: J Roberts
USTR: 



-- 
James Love  <love@cptech.org>  http://www.cptech.org
Consumer Project on Technology, P.O. Box 19367, Washington, DC 200036
voice 1.202.387.8030 fax 1.202.234.5176