Russell AI, Davis PG, Lynch SA, Hoos D, Palmer DR; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 2002 Jul 7-12; 14: abstract no. WePeG7020.
Health GAP Coalition, Philadelphia, United States
ISSUES: Rich countries and multilateral trading institutions have resisted efforts by developing countries (DCs) and people with AIDS (PWAs) to secure affordable, quality generic versions of HIV drugs. Recent victories of DCs and PWAs at the WTO Ministerial in Doha, Qatar have weakened the opposition of rich countries to the DC use of safeguards that break drug company patent monopolies. How are achievements applied? DESCRIPTION: International efforts pressuring decision makers and demanding prioritization of medicine access over protection of drug company patent monopolies helped people with AIDS and their allies obtain a WTO declaration in Nov. 2001 asserting DCs rights to access to medicines under WTO rules governing patent protection. PWAs have won a political victory that can now be used to pressure local governments to take action and devote resources to HIV treatment plans. Despite the terms of the WTO declaration, the U.S. government is continuing to pursue a foreign trade agenda that will limit the ability of DCs to promote affordable generic AIDS drug access. LESSONS LEARNED: Even when confronting institutions like the WTO, whose interests are deeply aligned with those of proprietary drug companies, effective, sustained advocacy among developed country and DC activists and among human rights, grassroots, public health and legal advocates, has successfully reframed the treatment access debate. RECOMMENDATIONS: We will present an analysis of the current status of adoption of the terms of the WTO declaration on public health, access to medicines, and intellectual property. PWAs, care providers, and treatment activists must be given the tools and support to implement that declaration. US politicians still advance trade policy that jeopardizes affordable drug access; activists must continue to agitate for policy change from US decision makers.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- AIDS Vaccines
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Developing Countries
- Drugs, Generic
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Health Services
- Health Services Accessibility
- Human Rights
- Humans
- Intellectual Property
- Organizations
- Patents
- Pharmaceutical Preparations
- Public Health
- Public Policy
- Qatar
- United States
- organization & administration
- therapy
Other ID:
UI: 102259547
From Meeting Abstracts