[Pharm-policy] Health GAP Coalition in Genoa

[Paul Davis]

Genoa, Italy: Asia Russell or Sharonann Lynch: +1 267 475 2645 (mobile)
asia@critpath.org or salynch00@earthlink.net

United States: Paul Davis +1 215.833.4102 (mobile)
pdavis@critpath.org

The Health GAP Coalition will be in Genoa beginning July 19 as the G8
countries will address the global AIDS and Health Fund and poor country
debt.

Announcement s of donations to the Global Fund are expected during the
summit, each likely to be as paltry as the $200 million contribution from
President Bush.

New information will emerge regarding the fund structure after an
exclusionary meeting in Brussels last week and in Genoa today (18 July).
The composition and function of the fund's governing board has been
finalized today in secret. The United States opposed the inclusion of poor
countries on the Board by insisting on a 2-to-1 ratio of wealthy countries.
This was defeated by Brazil and France.

Major areas of conflict about the fund persist.

1. Will money for desperately needed life-extending AIDS treatment be
spent wisely, through a bulk purchasing mechanism that acquires drugs at
best world price regardless of patent status? Or will the money be used to
fund corporate welfare for big pharma, purchasing only brand-name
products at whatever prices industry offers?

2. What role will drug companies and their affiliated trade associations
(such as IFMPPA) have in governing the fund? Will any conflict of interest
polices be established?

3. When will wealthy countries contribute the billions in new money
absolutely required to begin turning around this unimaginable crisis?


Since the TRIPS Council met June 19-20 to discuss intellectual property
protection and access to drugs, the Bush Administration has shown that
it will staunchly oppose efforts by countries to remove the obstacles in
international patent monopoly protections that prioritize drug company
profits over the lives of millions of people with AIDS.

We expect a reprehensible US position will be reflected in conditions
applied to the Global Fund.

The crippling debt burden owed by poor countries hardest hit by the AIDS
catastrophe must be eliminated. It is not enough for Bush to suggest
that future grants are enough. Existing debt must be wiped away.

--

Paul Davis
pdavis@critpath.org
Health GAP Coalition
ACT UP Philadelphia

+1.215.474.6886 direct tel.
+1.215.474.4793 fax
+1.215.731.1844 ACT UP