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-- Yay for Cheap Drugs

Yay for Cheap Drugs

quote:

World cheap drugs deal in sight A deal which could give some of the world's poorest countries access to cheap drugs has edged closer. According to the World Trade Organisation, the United States, Brazil, India, South Africa and Kenya have struck a deal. These countries had been at loggerheads over plans to make cheap medicines more widely available. The proposals, which have yet to be published, are now set to be put to the rest of the WTO's 146 members. If backed, the deal could see millions of people around the world being given access to cheap drugs to treat malaria, Aids, tuberculosis and other serious diseases for the first time. Patent rules The principle of allowing developing countries access to cheap versions of key drugs had been agreed at WTO talks almost two years ago. Many of these drugs are patented, which means they cannot be copied for 20 years. The WTO talks were aimed at easing these rules for some medicines. This would enable countries in need to import cheaper versions of essential drugs. Officials from the United States and key developing countries have been in talks for months trying to resolve the issue. But on Wednesday, Vanu Gopala Menon, the WTO's chief mediator on this issue, declared that agreement had been reached. "The five are agreed," he told journalists. Mr Menon said he planned shortly to table a document for consideration by all the remaining 141 WTO member nations. However, he warned that they will need time to examine the deal. The United States blocked a deal on cheap drugs last December even though it was backed by all other members of the WTO. US negotiators said the deal would allow too many drugs patents to be ignored. They said the proposed deal would mean that illnesses that are not infectious, such as diabetes and asthma, could also be treated with cheap, generic drugs. It is understood that the US will lifts its opposition to a deal if WTO states pledge not to abuse the system and to only waive patents "in good faith" and not for commercial gain. They will also be expected to take all reasonable steps to ensure cheap versions of drugs do not make their way onto markets in rich countries. South Africa's top trade envoy Faizel Ismail said the plan was "reasonably balanced" and "close to an acceptable solution". "It provides some comfort to the US pharmaceutical companies that were worried about abuse," he said. The issue has been casting a long shadow over global free trade talks since their launch in 2001. Trade ministers will discuss the deal at the next WTO meeting in Cancun, Mexico, in September. British MPs warned that poorer countries will need to improve their health services if the deal is to have an impact. Jenny Tonge, a member of the Liberal Democrats, said: "It is absolutely essential that richer countries and the aid agencies help provide proper health delivery systems to ensure that these drugs are taken properly. "If they are not, resistant strains of bacteria and viruses will develop and render them useless. "For HIV/AIDS, good nutrition and proper medical supervision is essential and drugs alone will not solve the problem." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3186035.stm

It's good to see that a compromise was achieved such that poor countries will gain access to cheap drugs, and patent laws are not abused by richer countries. One must ask, however, that if all it took was a pledge by WTO members to not abuse the patent laws, why did they not offer up a pledge a decade ago?

That topic title was VERY misleading I interpreted it differently

Sorry occrider looks like it is delayed:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3190091.stm

Though, oddly enough this article is almost verbatim what you quoted with the exception of thi portion at the top:

quote:

The World Trade Organisation's executive has delayed final approval of a deal to give some of the world's poorest countries access to cheap drugs. WTO members had earlier agreed in principle to a deal that could see millions of people around the world receiving medicines to treat killer diseases for the first time. The executive had been expected to rubber stamp the deal late on Thursday, but the decision was delayed following a last-minute hitch. "There is no deal. More consultations are required," said WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell.

Sigh, Bush must have gotten an urgent call from his buddies at Pfizer, GSK, Eli Lilly, etc.

So much for being good global citizens eh?

MrS

If it doesnt make money it wont get done.
simple as that....

quote:

Originally posted by Mikado If it doesnt make money it wont get done. simple as that....

EXACTLY ... If it doesn't make money for countries seeking to violate patent laws.

quote:

World cheap drugs deal delayed The deal would see rules on drug patents relaxed The World Trade Organisation's executive has delayed final approval of a deal to give some of the world's poorest countries access to cheap drugs. The 146 WTO members had earlier agreed in principle to a deal that could see millions of people around the world receiving medicines to treat killer diseases for the first time. The executive had been expected to rubber stamp the deal late on Thursday, but the decision was delayed following a last-minute hitch. It is understood that the delay has been caused by up to two dozen countries who are unhappy about the wording of a 'chairman's statement' agreed by the US, Brazil, India, Kenya and South Africa. The five had previously been at loggerheads over plans to make cheap medicines more widely available. WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell said: "There is no deal. More consultations are required." American opposition The principle of allowing developing countries access to cheap versions of key drugs had been agreed at WTO talks almost two years ago but talks had dragged since then on implementing the deal. Many of the drugs at issue are patented, which means they cannot be copied for 20 years. The WTO talks aimed to ease these rules for some medicines, enabling countries in need to import cheaper versions of essential drugs. Last December, the United States had blocked a deal on cheap drugs - even though it was backed by all other members of the WTO. US negotiators said it would allow too many drugs patents to be ignored. They said the proposed deal would mean that illnesses that are not infectious, such as diabetes and asthma, could also be treated with cheap, generic drugs. But it was understood that the US would lift its opposition to a deal if WTO states pledged not to abuse the system and to only waive patents "in good faith" and not for commercial gain. They would also be expected to take all reasonable steps to ensure cheap versions of drugs do not make their way onto markets in rich countries. South Africa's top trade envoy Faizel Ismail had described the plan as "reasonably balanced" and "close to an acceptable solution". "It provides some comfort to the US pharmaceutical companies that were worried about abuse," he said. The issue has been casting a long shadow over global free trade talks since their launch in 2001. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3190091.stm

What's so bad about pledging not to abuse the system and override patent laws in order to make commercial gain???

Ah yes, the unquestionable benevolence of the rest of the world vs. the institution of greed in the US comes to fruition.

Standoff over

http://edition.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/...reut/index.html

I just hope this short-term solution to exploit the information of wealthy naitons will not dampen funds to go into future drug and cure related research.

You must understand this type of thing is an equation.
There will always be something that loses.

But like Occider pointed out, as long as third-world countries don't produce and export these drugs themselves then it will be a more agreeable loss.

I think the WTO has made a good compromise as it stands now...

Re: Yay for Cheap Drugs

quote:

Originally posted by occrider One must ask, however, that if all it took was a pledge by WTO members to not abuse the patent laws, why did they not offer up a pledge a decade ago?

I think the WTO is only about a decade old, you can't expect everything to happen in day one now... your starting to sound like a Liberal .. you knows those that bicker that Afghanistan doesn't look like modern germany now that a year's gone by after the war

quote:

Originally posted by occrider Standoff over http://edition.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/...reut/index.html

Hooray!

/me dances a jig

/me stops.

but this doesn't mean I will get my prescription drugs any cheaper here in the states does it?



Oh well, it is a step needed to help fight epedemics in poor countries, which will help a lot of other issues as well.

MrS

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